In Latin America, the most unequal region in the world, coverage and connectivity can be an opportunity to build more sustainable societies. Everyone’s ability to connect is different. Only in rural areas Four out of ten Latin Americans have connectivity options, compared to 71% of the urban population. This imbalance demonstrates that traditional public policies are not infallible.

Currently there is a village manifesto in Latin America which will contribute to the development of inclusive and sustainable rural networks.

Bridging the digital divide in Latin America involves identifying innovative solutions that adapt to specific rural needs. Therefore, it is important how the connection is in Latin American countries, such as, for example, Peru.

“When it comes to connectivity, it is currently in transition in Latin America. I believe the fiber optic system is starting to pick up in Peru, but we are definitely behind what is seen in Chile or Colombia. Thanks to NET Fibra, it has allowed us to reach a deployment rate of about 100,000 homes per month in Chile, and in Colombia we are moving to 130,000 homes per month,” he explained to Infobae. Jose John HaroWholesale and Public Relations Director of Telefónica.

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The connectivity gap in Peru

In metropolitan Lima, some areas already exist 5G network Access with higher speeds and better network performance, while addressing infrastructure, connectivity and budget issues in the interior of the country.

This disparity is confirmed by a 2022 report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IICA and Microsoft, which indicates that the gap in terms of connectivity is more pronounced between urban and rural populations and in some cases reaches the difference 40%

It is necessary to take into account that the lack of restrictions Internet They not only affect the economic growth of a city or region, but also affect the quality of life of each resident, as it limits their access to education, health and communication, a reality that has become even more evident over time. from pandemicthe period in which National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) reported that 62.9% of households had Internet service, while in rural areas this figure decreased to 5.9%.

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A smart solution for everyone to have internet access

in 2019, Telefonica del Peru, goal (facebook), IDB Invest and Latin American Development Bank (CAF) created Internet for All (IPT)A company created to democratize internet access in rural and remote areas of Peru.

“IPT has brought services to rural Peru, where almost 3 million Of the 6 million people who lived in areas without Internet access in 2019, when it began commercial operation. Thus, it has brought the benefits of the digital world to more than 15,000 locations in Peru, deploying more than 1,900 4G sites,” he said. Haro.

One of the most important is that IpT was formed as a Rural Mobile Infrastructure Operator (OIMR)A model that allows you to install telecommunications infrastructure in places where access to the Internet is limited.

This installed infrastructure is what IpT makes available to mobile operators so that they can ‘lease’ and transmit their signal to it and thus offer their 4G services to those who live in these rural areas. This means that when it reaches the public, the network can be used any operator.

Using models such as IpT can help ensure this 45 million Latin Americans Those who live without coverage, mostly in rural areas, have more opportunities for development. Especially considering that a 1% increase in the Digital Ecosystem Development Index can lead to a 0.13% increase in GDP per capita, according to a study recently published by the Inter-American Institute. Cooperation for agriculture (IICA)IDB i Microsoft.

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