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TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 25, 2005, 4:47 PM

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Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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I have been offered a teaching position in Pachuca that starts in 2006. Hubby is Mex, we met and married in Atlanta, GA. Visited his hometown (Tlaxcala) in 2000. LOved it despite never feeling as cold anywhere else as there (lived in Rochester before...still wasn't as bone chilling). After 5 years of considering this, We are now selling our home here and moving with 2 little kids ages 3 and 5. We will look around to see if there will be a need for an Internet Cafe in either Pachuca or hubby's hometown of Tlaxcala (I am a computer instructor and feel confident we could run one) or perhaps open a language school (taught for last 8 years).
I won't be in Ajijic except for visits;mom is considering a trial there to see if she would like to buy a home near the lake. We have been reading yall's messages for a week now. Personally I hope she buys there so that I can have a nearby escape when I suffer culture shock. Especially impressed with Michael's house pics ( the $65,000 house). We have a home in Tlaxcala too but it isn't finished yet. Hope it looks as nice as yours MP (I forget your username on here) Well, that is my intro. Nice to meet you all. HAs anyone tried opening an internet cafe there? I have a few contacts and can get computers at a good price (I'm sure duty will take up the savings though). Are computer prices there reasonable? I can get what I need between $300 and $500USD here. Curious to hear of any stories any of you have of starting a business.

Claudine de Nava in Atlanta Ga heading to Tlaxcala.

Ed and Fran

Oct 25, 2005, 5:07 PM

Post #2 of 57 (3886 views)

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Re: [TlxclaClaudia] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Internet cafe's are very popular and common down here. There's always room for another one that's done a bit better and is a bit more comfortable. Most of the ones that I find here in Tuxpan are pretty bare bones and uncomfortable. Not sure how lucrative the business is, as prices here run around $8-$10 pesos/hour for computer rental. Maybe a bit higher in bigger cities.

Always plenty of opportunity for teaching computer classes (in Spanish) and always a need for computer trouble-shooting services, so if you can do some of that it would help the cash flow. Maybe even some computer supplies sales.

I think that low end computers, plenty good enough for internet cafe use, are going pretty cheap down here, but that's my uneducated opinion. Shouldn't be too hard to get some checks on prices and computer specs.

Personally, I love Tlaxcala. Yeah it can be a bit fresh, but you save a lot on your a/c bill that way.

Good luck,

Ed & Fran

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 25, 2005, 5:27 PM

Post #3 of 57 (3879 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Neat. You know Tlaxcala. I will look up Tuxpan on the map. Good info you gave me. Hubby also mentioned there is always room for another Internet cafe. I will consider this point of needing more comfort. My dream is to start some sort of business for the entire family to get in on so they can have a more comfortable incomes. I was thinking of an EFL after school program run by hubby and me, or a bilingual preschool run by other family members and myself, or a Spanish immersion course for visiting foreigners (including a homestay once our house is finished) run by all of us. Personally I want to be a stay at home mom but not possible. The internet cafe will be simple to maintain I think plus I love teaching; can't imagine ever giving it up. Actually, you just gave me a couple other ideas I hadn't considered before. Maybe I will work on getting A+ certified before leaving the states so to offer some computer repair services.

Thanks for the tips.
Claudine

jerezano

Oct 26, 2005, 9:26 AM

Post #4 of 57 (3814 views)

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Hello,

As someone mentioned here there are computer rental places all over Mexico. Some are cyber cafes. Others merely holes in the wall with a couple of computers. You will have lots of competition, but a good well run cafe will stand out, and if prices are reasonable, and control is maintained then good luck.

One thing not mentioned and perhaps you haven't thought much about is the computer keyboard. English layout keyboards are practically non existant here in Mexico. I have not even been able to order a replacement, and have found it necessary to go the USA and buy the two replacement keyboards when I had to have them. And almost nobody really knows how to operate the Spanish keyboard. For example while the keyboard shows an arroba "@" nobody knows how to use that key so everyone uses the alt+064. Even the owner of my local Computer shop doesn't know how to really use the Spanish keyboard. There are many special keys he cannot operate.

Secondly, your operating programs will be in Spanish on computers bought here, and even after some 15 years and reasonable fluency in Spanish, I find that using a Windows program in Spanish can lead to many difficulties. For example, you need help so you go to Inicio, Ayuda, left click on Buscada, and type in "Open File in indepentent window" and your search comes back empty. OK. So how do you say Open? How do you say File? How do you say Indepentent, How do you say Window? This is a simple example. Some of your searches can be very frustrating.

The same is true on patches. You need to make sure that each patch you try to download is in Spanish because sometimes the English patches, while installing and working most times, do not not install this time. So you now have to search for a Spanish patch, and Microsoft doesn't always have the Spanish patch out early even if it is critical. And you will find that the Spanish operating systems and programs many times are lacking features found in the English versions.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that you need to be pretty hep on computerese. Also that it wouldn't really pay to buy American type machines and bring them here to Mexico. Your clients here would be turned off by the English layout keyboards, and the English instructions of the operating system and programs. You, on the other hand will find difficulties with the Spanish systems.

So you end up making-do, which over the years and on a multiplied computer and client basis can lead to early burn-out.

This is not to discourage you but to help you think a bit about some items not yet considered perhaps.

Adios. jerezano.

MariaLund

Oct 26, 2005, 11:08 AM

Post #5 of 57 (3792 views)

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Hi, Claudia

I don't have any experience with internet cafes in Mexico, but have been frequenting many during my recent long-term stay in Spain. I had a laptop with me, but gerring an internet connection to a rental appartment on the Andalucian coast was such a bureaucratic nightmare (it would take about 3 months to get one -- one knows after that where the Mexicans got their awful bureacracy from - and reading this Forum I still believe Spanish bureacracy is worse than Mexican), I resigned myself to internet cafes. The prices there, too, are comparatively low and average around 1,5 - 2 euro per hour. (And aspiring entrepreneurs in Spain have to pay selfemployment tax of a minimum of 250 euro per month long before they hope to make a first dime of profit - which, hopefully, is not the case in Mexico). But repeated customers had an option of buying a discount 10 hour card or using the cafe at less popular hours for an even steeper discount. All keybords there were Spanish and all Spanish language software, so most of them had printed and laminated instruction/translations at each table. Most of them also offered additional services (doing stuff for you: newsletters, graphic art etc) why some had also related or unrelated retail establishments (one, most imaginative, offered some spiritual zen stuff - it made the internet cafe look very tranquil and inviting, I must admit). One thing you might consider is that running an internet cafe requires grueling hours of work - some are oppen 24 hours a day, all were open 7 days a week from wee hours of the morning to past midnight.
Vivere non est necesse, navigare necesse est!

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 26, 2005, 7:23 PM

Post #6 of 57 (3765 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Jerezano-
I can't thank you enough for this valuable info. That pretty much settles our question of importing or not? We should buy there. Hubby is Mexican but not as computer literate as myself. I do however have a connection to some Spanish computer training books that might serve me well in regards to running the operating system in Spanish.

Claudine

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 26, 2005, 7:30 PM

Post #7 of 57 (3762 views)

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Re: [MariaLund] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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MariaLund-
You are right, the cafe's are opened late aren't they? I wondered too about how good an idea this is after I realized that. Hubby said he still wants to do it. I will have 2 jobs there and he has no prospects yet (though I think he will find a job as soon as we arrive). He has been in the states for 8 or 9 years and worries he is returning without skills; I think that is why he is leaning towards the Internet cafe. I guess it will all depends on just how many Tlaxcala already has and needs. *yawn* I don't want a business to be open that late -- to be honest. We do have the perfect property for it already though...it is exciting to be in the planning stages and see what really comes of it all.

Claudine

(This post was edited by TlxclaClaudia on Oct 26, 2005, 7:31 PM)

johanson

Oct 26, 2005, 8:30 PM

Post #8 of 57 (3746 views)

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Re: [TlxclaClaudia] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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The CIA (Cafe Internet Ajijic) one of the most popular internet cafes in Ajijic ,opens at about 8:20 AM and closes at 5 PM, 5 days per week and is open Saturdays until 1 or 2 PM.

They have two local employees who also serve coffee and food, make copies, cut CD's and help with folks who want to phone the US via their VoIP service. The owner Harry is a contractor and is often at the cafe. They have, about six stations and have a broadband connection at 512 Kb/sec both up and down.

Rolly

Oct 27, 2005, 9:41 AM

Post #9 of 57 (3696 views)

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Let me tell you about my friend Miguel Soto and his internet cafe here in Lerdo.

I first met Miguel six years ago when he had recently opened his business in a very good downtown location. He, his wife and her brother operated the place from 9 to 9 Monday – Saturday with shorter hours on Sunday. The computers were connected through a router to a single dailup connection. Slow, slow, slow.

Today, in addition to the cafe which now has ten stations, Miguel has a computer sales and service office next door. He does a brisk business that keeps him and two college trained tech guys hopping. He has ten employees, and his wife no longer has to work.

A couple of years ago he added his own IPS. He offers a dailup service to the public and has each of his cafe computers on a high speed connection. Fast, fast, fast!

There are more internet cafes in Lerdo than there are taco stands, but Miguel’s is by far the best.

It has been my observation that while connecting to the internet is an important draw, many use the computers for word processing, number crunching, printing and for burning CDs. The majority of his customers are school kids.

He also offers word processing and number crunching services to those who do not wish to do their own keyboarding. This service is performed by the attendants – giving them something productive to do in addition to collecting the $5 peso per half hour fee. Most other cafes in town charge $7 per hour.

Rolly Pirate

Carron

Oct 27, 2005, 9:50 AM

Post #10 of 57 (3695 views)

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We frequently use Internet cafes in Mexico for a variety of reasons. Some are in living rooms and others are in locales (business locations). One of the most popular here in Cd. Acuna has several private booths with full doors, available by the hour. I thought how nice; one could operate a business from one. Then my daughter laughed at me and explained that the booths are for viewing on-line porno!!!!! How old and dated I am.

Ed and Fran

Oct 27, 2005, 10:45 AM

Post #11 of 57 (3681 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Just wanted to interject a few more random thoughts, and I thought that Rolly's post was a good one to use as a base. Obviously the comments are based on my limited sampling of internet places in various places in addition to our home base of Tuxpan. By the way, maybe I haven't looked in the right places, but what I've seen that passes for an Internet Cafe down here normally has nothing to do with food or café. It just offers hourly computer rental.

I first met Miguel six years ago when he had recently opened his business in a very good downtown location.

Yeah, a central location is probably important. Most traffic will come on foot.

He, his wife and her brother operated the place from 9 to 9 Monday – Saturday with shorter hours on Sunday.

Most places I have seen have similar hours. Round the clock operation is not common. For the computer rental service the owner is normally not there full time, and has a young person with some computer savy as an attendant.

Miguel has a computer sales and service office next door. He does a brisk business that keeps him and two college trained tech guys hopping. He has ten employees, and his wife no longer has to work.

By separating the computer rental and the sales/service side, you can pretty easily leave the monitoring of the computer rental to hired help.

There are more internet cafes in Lerdo than there are taco stands, but Miguel’s is by far the best.

A good one will outdraw others. Of course there is a limit to how much you can afford to invest in setting it up nicely, as price is pretty competitive.

It has been my observation that while connecting to the internet is an important draw, many use the computers for word processing, number crunching, printing and for burning CDs. The majority of his customers are school kids.

That's what I've found also. The majority of junior's friends do not have computers at home and have to do work at this type of place.

He also offers word processing and number crunching services to those who do not wish to do their own keyboarding. This service is performed by the attendants – giving them something productive to do in addition to collecting the $5 peso per half hour fee.

Good idea. It's pretty easy to find college kids with a decent amount of computer experience who would be more than happy to find a job as an attendant for relatively low wages.

If you're going to open this in either Pachuca or Tlaxcala, spend time scouting out the competition. Check their hours, prices, physical setup, and any extra services they offer.

Regards

Ed

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 27, 2005, 5:26 PM

Post #12 of 57 (3635 views)

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Great tips (and thanks for warning me about the porno in semi-private booths). I am printing all this out to have a discussion with Mom and hubby. They are all for it so far. The hours Ed and Rolly mentioned (great website by the way Rolly) are more doable than around the clock like I assumed. I have a couple brothers-in-law who really ought to consider taking up computer repair (both mentioned before how they would like to). This might be the way I can get more employment for hubby's brothers including us. Man, is it possible i too could one day be a stay at home mom (see Rolly's post)???? Woohoo!

Claudine

Claudine

Ed and Fran

Oct 27, 2005, 5:42 PM

Post #13 of 57 (3632 views)

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Re: [TlxclaClaudia] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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I have a couple brothers-in-law who really ought to consider taking up computer repair (both mentioned before how they would like to). This might be the way I can get more employment for hubby's brothers.

Very typical to employ family members where possible down here. If you guys are seriously looking at this, tell the b-i-l's to start getting whatever training they can now, before you go into startup mode and need them to help out. (You might need to front them the money for the classes).

Of course, if you run short of parientes, I can send you my B-I-L, who finished college, including a bunch of classes in computer maintenance in June and has been struggling looking for a job in this burg since then. Just two weeks ago he finally got a part time position teaching computer classes 2 hours a day for peanuts. :-(

Regards

Ed & Fran

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 27, 2005, 6:53 PM

Post #14 of 57 (3609 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Is your BIL already in Mexico? In Veracruz with you by chance (Tuxpan is Veracruz, right?)? The 2 BIL I mentioned (I have 5! plus 3 SIL) go to Veracruz often. What does your BIL teach? IF he teaches A+ classes, let me know!! Can your BIL email me his computer qualifications? (Which certs does he have? Could he teach A+?) My email is cdenava@vc.edu

I asked a friend/colleague from here to fly down to help set up the network (though I now think I best go with a local for the networking).

Claudine

NickP

Oct 28, 2005, 10:35 AM

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Re: [TlxclaClaudia] Anyone from here start an Internet Cafe?

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Hi Claudia I know first hand what is involved in opening a cyber-cafe in Mexico.
I opened and since sold Cafe Internet Ajijic.
I emailed you some tips on the topic.

Regards
Nick

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 28, 2005, 5:03 PM

Post #16 of 57 (3506 views)

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Got the email Nick.
A couple others of you emailed me on this topic. This is sounding more and more as something I'll help start up (research, finance and run for maybe a year) but will turn over to hubby's brothers later. Your tips are going to help a wonderful family get a family business going. Thanks for your selflessness with this info.

Claudine

willybak

Oct 30, 2005, 11:18 AM

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Sent Message answering your questions

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Hi Nick,

I sent you a Private Message with reply to your questions.

Regards,

Willy

anna

Oct 30, 2005, 12:47 PM

Post #18 of 57 (3417 views)

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hi
We Have an internet cafe along with cappuchino bar. We offer other services as well, including translation, wordprocessing, design menus, brochures etc. We are located in Los Ayala Nayarit. We have been open for just over a year. We have a mix of customers including young kids, just learning who mostly play video games and by our milkshakes to students doing homework, to Norteamericanos during the season.

My husband is mexican, i am Canadian and we are both pretty good with computers, which helps you dont have to call in the big guns (techies) untill you really need them. And it makes it easier to have both languages to serve all the people in town.

We charge 25 pesos an hour, and we are open between 8 am and 9 pm more or less.
Feel free to email me re any specific questions you have.
Anna

Rolly

Oct 30, 2005, 1:01 PM

Post #19 of 57 (3415 views)

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25 pesos! Wow! Nobody in Lerdo charges more than 10. And most charge less.

Rolly Pirate

anna

Oct 30, 2005, 1:08 PM

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Well.... nearbye Guayabitos charges 25 pesos and La Peñita as low as 15 during the siesta hours but usually 20 pesos rest of time. We are the only cyber in Los Ayala and it costs 5 pesos each way to take the bus to Guayabitos or La Peñita so....you do the math. Especially if you are just wanting to check an email quickly it is easier and just the same price with your combi fare thrown in.

You are right, in the bigger towns nearbye it is more like 10-15, Tepic is an example as well as Las Varas, but nearbye vallarta is as high as 30pesos in some cafes!

We will probably have to lower our prices when we get some competition, and when we get more computers, only have 2 right now.

Anna

johanson

Oct 30, 2005, 1:50 PM

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Hey Anna, with two computers, what is your internet connection, Prodigy dialup? My prodigy dialup averages about 42 Kb/sec down and 28 up. My slowest speed Infinitum 512 by 128 averages 419 down and ab out 64 kb/sec up.

The I meg by 256 averages closer to the low 800s down and close to 128 up (I do not have this)

My primary connection is fixed WiFi. I use the prodigy as a backup. Neither my primary or backup are 100% reliable, but between them I have excellent service

anna

Oct 30, 2005, 2:08 PM

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We use prodigy infinitum broadband, we were on 1000 for a while but just recently switched to 512 since it was the low season and we were told that we would have less chance of loss of service with the lower speed. We do notice the difference though.
We were on dialup for a bit when our infinitum wasnt working ooohhhboy i forgot how slow that is!!!

So far so good! We have pretty great service with infinitum ecxept for a couple weeks in August when the whole area was down.

Our infinitum has a wireless signal as well so we charge 15 pesos an hour to those who come and use our wireless signal with their own laptops. We are looking into a signal enhancer since if you are much more than 100 meters away the signal is not so good.

Anna

alex .

Nov 2, 2005, 7:39 AM

Post #23 of 57 (3292 views)

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Re: [TlxcalaClaudia] business and relatives

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I have some advice : while you are starting the business do your best to instill the concept of "investing for the future" to your cuñados. There is a tendency for the relatives, who haven't felt any of the pain of transforming an idea to a functioning business, to think only about the profits of today. I see over and over again where the proceeds of the business are not re-invested to keep the gravy train moving, rather, suppliers aren't paid, the Hacienda isn't paid, maintenance not performed, then rent not paid , and all is lost. So everybody gets a nice shiny Lobo and new clothes, then the party is over, rather than enjoying a less, but certain, income for a long time. Refer back to this post in Nov '07, we'll see how it went.
Alex

TlxcalaClaudia

Nov 2, 2005, 11:30 AM

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Thanks Alex.

Claudine

TlxcalaClaudia

Nov 2, 2005, 2:47 PM

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Anna-
I haven't sent you an email yet because I am still discussing things over with the fam. I appreciate your offer. Been a busy week with immigration, moving and garage sales (and quasi ones thanks to a friendly neighbor...see BAD NEIGHBORS post). I'll be in touch.

Claudine

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