Panama Real Estate Investment Travel Information


Panama City Internet Cafe

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Written by Administrator

Tuesday, April 25 2006

Whether you are traveling through for a day, visiting for a week, residing temporarily, or living permanently, Panama City internet cafes will be able to suit all of your calling, internet, copying, faxing, and printing needs

As I first arrived about 3 weeks ago I needed to send out an email about my safe arrival and my experiences thus far. I headed down the street and a great big green sign stared right back at me reading “ClaroCom Café.” As I entered the café the most refreshing gust of air conditioning blew onto my shiny face and I let out a gasp of relief as the humidity outside was surely affecting me. As I walked over to the desk, pointed to the internet card amount I wanted, nervous about my rusty Spanish, the lady smiled and said in English, “Sure, go ahead and sit at any computer, type in the password, and it should work.” To my relief everything was working fine. I sat down typed in my password, typed in email account, and I was off.

Within two minutes a worker came over to me and asked me if everything was going well and I smiled and said yes. Within 30 minutes after that another worker approached me and asked if I needed anything. I decided to come back the next day and buy a calling card. Sure enough another person was working who spoke great English as well. I could either sit at an open booth lining the perimeter of the café or step into a shiny, enclosed, wooden booth with a door for maximum privacy. I opted for the latter.

A week later I returned because my coworker had told me that there was free Internet access if you bring your computer with a wireless card. I'm thinking, I can go into an air-conditioned Internet café and get free Internet with my laptop? Sweet! I headed on back, set up my workstation on one of the many open tables and started to work. I later had a question about my connection because it was going in and out and I decided to approach an employee about it. He was very polite and patient with me and explained that sometimes the connection won't be at its best if I bring an outside computer in. But, he assured me that it should be working within the next minute. Sure enough it was.

I picked up my head to notice what was going around me and I was pleasantly surprised. I noticed that there was a little enclosed play area for kids to amuse themselves while their caretaker was making copies, writing emails, sending faxes, or making a phone call. There are about 3 couches, 5 computers, 10 tables, 5 enclosed, wooden calling stations, 8 open calling stations, 3 outside tables, 2 copying machines that also have a printing and faxing functions, and one kid's area. Not to mention this place is quite large to accommodate all your communication needs.

Also, there are waiters from the restaurant next door, Van Gough Café, who come around and ask if you would like anything from a hot cup of Duran coffee to a Fillet of Salmon Salad with Peanuts. Again, I opted for the latter. You can also go into the restaurant, order, tell them you are at ClaroCom, and then have them bring it over there to you, plastic bag, fork, napkin and all, as well as the check. Van Gough Café also has a little stand outside of its restaurant where you can buy a small pastries, juice, or a cup of coffee. I also noticed that the workers speak a decent amount of English, which always helps. It is also located right next to a liquor store so you can pick up a bite to eat as well very good restaurants right across the way.

I spoke with the manager at ClaroCom and asked her what she thought was her direct competition, because there are about 100 Internet cafes solely in Panama City, and she looked at me, shrugged her shoulders and said, “None, we are the only Internet Café that offers as many service as we do and I don't know any other that offers free internet if you bring in your own computer. We also have great customer service that no one else can match.”

I started to walk around the area that ClaroCom is located in (Corner of Calle Usabio Morales and Via Venetto in El Cangrejo) and noticed three within one block of them. I stepped inside of a couple and right away noticed the difference. While ClaroCom is very relaxing, these were very small and there only tended to be one person working there. As I started to head towards work I noticed about three more in about four blocks of my path. I just kind of starred at the signs on the outside and looked from the outside in and noticed the same thing, it was very small with only one apparent worker. Although the prices for the Internet and calling tended to be a tad bit cheaper, ClaroCom's ambiance is incomparable.

I can honestly say that I have never been to an “Internet Café” back in the states, the closest would be a local coffee shop that had Internet access, but I can't imagine ClaroCom being any less than par than what you would get in the states. It is also very refreshing for non-Spanish speakers because about half the people there are non-Panamanians and hearing your foreign language within non-employees, is again, another refresher.

Even if you have no intentions of using any of their services you can feel free to sit down and read a book or your favorite magazine. Buying services of theirs is not something they stress but obviously greatly appreciated.

I can say that I am a regular there and I plan on being throughout my stay.

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