Improving infrastructure and increasing competition from internet providers not only helps increase coverage and improve the service but also reduces its cost.
The fact that Nicaragua is the most expensive Central American country in terms of connecting to the internet means there is a need not only to improve basic infrastructure, but also to increase competition, thereby improving prices and services provided.
The government has confirmed that the auction of the remaining 70 MHz of spectrum in 2015 will be only among the three current telecommunications operators.
In the end the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (Micitt) announced that the auction of radio spectrum of 70MHz in early 2015, which aims to strengthen the current market, will be launched without the involvement of a fourth operator, as was originally considered.
A recommendation has been given to accelerate the launch of new tenders for frequencies in order to develop next-generation services such as 4G LTE networks.
A study by the company Signals Telecom Consulting reveals that telephone companies must have more space in the spectrum in order to adjust their operations to accommodate smartphones and meet the demand for fast speeds for mobile internet browsing.
From 23 to July 26 Latin American telecommunications executives will meet in Panama to discuss how to close the digital divide in the region.
From a press release by the Telecommunications Congress:
Ministers from governments and regulating authorities, CEO's of telecommunications companies, innovators and executives from the private sector, academic experts and representatives from international organizations will participate in a high level meeting related to the XXIII Latin American Summit of Heads of State and Government , which will analyze the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean in closing the digital divide by 2020.
The associated reduced costs are driving opportunities in developing countries for technology sectors based on satellite communications.
Elfinancierocr.com published an interview by Mónica Cordero Sancho with the Deputy Secretary of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Houlin Zhao, who recently visited Costa Rica "to leverage the discussion in the area of radio spectrums to provide satellite services. '
Panama comes out top (66 in the world), followed by Costa Rica (71), El Salvador (103), Honduras (107), and then Nicaragua (113). Guatemala does not appear in the general list.
In Latin America Uruguay is first (50 in the overall list), followed by Chile (55), Argentina (56), Brazil (60).
The Index of ICT Development (ITD in Spanish) which once a year presents to the International Telecommunication Union its report entitled "Measuring the Information Society", is a composite index that combines 11 indicators into a reference value (presented on a scale from 0 to 10).
Broadband access to Internet is key for development, and mobile telephony seems the optimal way of making Internet available everywhere.
The upcoming opening of the Costa Rica telecommunications market could bring massive broadband access to the Internet, without relying on a physical cable, through third and fourth generation mobile telephony.
Sebastián Cabello is the regulations manager of the GSM Association, a global entity that groups network and mobile terminal manufacturers. He explained to Elfinancierocr.com: "The vast amount of cell phone users worldwide would make it easier to bring broadband Internet to any corner of a country, enabling more data transmission capacity, and even video."
According to figures from the International Telecommunications Union, Panama has an Internet penetration of 4.9%.
Just behind Panama is Costa Rica with an Internet penetration of 4.05%. The statistics from the International Telecommunications Union (UIT, acronym in Spanish) established that El Salvador has 1.8%, while Honduras and Nicaragua are at .81% and .42%, respectively.
In the region, it is the country with the lowest level of penetration and lowest growth in cellular service with 1.8 million subscribers.
As of December 2008 the penetration of cellular phones in Costa Rica is 19.4%, according to statistics published by the International Telecommunications Union (UIT acronym in Spanish).
Carlos Cordero writes on the El Financiero’s website: “…this level of penetration is below all other countries in the region, where they noted Panama (112%), Guatemala (109%), y El Salvador (100%). Honduras and Nicaragua have penetrations of 86% and 54%, respectively.”
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