Free Internet Rolled Out to Eight Markets

Querétaro Mayor Felifer Macías said on August 4 that the city had begun providing free internet service to merchants in all eight municipal public markets, a move he said would support sales, electronic payments and contact with customers. The announcement came during an early-morning tour of the markets, according to local news outlet Crónica Regional. Macías said the service would reduce operating costs for vendors who depend on the markets for their income. The municipality’s broader public connectivity network now totals 200 free internet access points, Crónica Regional reported. ### Which markets are included in the rollout? The August 4 rollout covers Querétaro’s eight municipal public markets, Macías said, without listing them individually in the announcement reported by Crónica Regional. The mayor described the measure as part of the municipality’s connectivity strategy and said it was intended for market merchants and their customers. (cronicaregional.com.mx) Crónica Regional reported that the service was launched for “los ocho mercados públicos municipales,” framing it as citywide coverage across the municipal market system rather than a pilot at a single site. The report said the measure was aimed at strengthening commercial activity and supporting the families who depend on those spaces. (cronicaregional.com.mx) ### How much money does the city say vendors will save? Macías said each merchant would save about 600 pesos a month by no longer paying separately for internet service. He said that, across the eight markets, the combined economic benefit would exceed 1.2 million pesos a year. (cronicaregional.com.mx) The mayor linked those savings directly to household finances. “Esto es un ahorro a la economía,” Macías said, according to Crónica Regional, adding that the measure was designed for people who work every day in the markets. ### What can merchants do with the connection? Macías said the new service would allow merchants to accept online or electronic payments, expand online sales strategies and maintain closer communication with customers. (cronicaregional.com.mx) Crónica Regional reported that the mayor cited digital collections, online catalogs and sales tools as practical uses for the network. The stated goal matches a broader state push toward digital access. Querétaro’s official digital strategy says the government is seeking to expand internet access and increase the use of digital tools for services and interactions with the public. ### How does this fit into Querétaro’s wider connectivity plan? Crónica Regional reported that the municipal government now has 200 free internet points available for the public after the market expansion. (cronicaregional.com.mx) That figure places the market program inside a wider effort to extend connectivity beyond government offices and into public spaces. (queretarodigital.queretaro.gob.mx) Querétaro state government pages separately promote free internet access through digital platforms and public-service tools, including an official page for free internet access information. Those pages do not describe the municipal market rollout itself, but they show that public connectivity is already part of the state’s digital infrastructure agenda. ### Why did Macías say the markets were the priority? (cronicaregional.com.mx) Macías said public markets are a pillar of the local economy and said the internet service was intended to help the people who work there compete and sell more effectively. In remarks reported by Crónica Regional, he tied the measure to both cost savings and new ways to sell, including online transactions and digital promotion. (queretaro.gob.mx) The August 4 announcement did not include a separate budget, contract value or implementation timetable beyond the launch itself. The next public marker the municipality cited was the continued expansion of its connectivity strategy, with the market program adding to a network that now stands at 200 free internet points. (cronicaregional.com.mx)