The new commercial reality in which online shopping and changes in consumer habits have forced companies to rethink their sales strategies, so it is essential to understand how people behave in the digital environment.
The report "Internet in Central America", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, provides the most updated data on the presence of Internet users in the region, users by gender, educational level and other details. In addition to the behavior of the uses in each country and the channel where they connect.
The lack of proper infrastructure and the lack of allocation of radio spectrum are some of the reasons why it is difficult for telecommunications companies to improve Internet connection or lower prices for services.
Internet operators in Costa Rica face adversities to improve service and provide better prices to consumers, including the deficit of appropriate infrastructure.
The percentage of the population with Internet access in Central America increased 17% between 2016 and 2018, increasing from 44% to 61%.
Data from the report "Internet in Central America 2018", compiled by the Commercial Trade Area of CentralAmericaData:
Currently, Costa Rica is the Central American country with the highest proportion of households with Internet access, with 77% of the total, followed by Panama with 67% and Honduras with 31%.
Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is evaluating the Salvadoran market to determine if there is an opportunity to establish itself as a new broadband operator.
The state telecommunications company already has a presence in Nicaragua, where in conjunction with the state company Enatrel, it operates the company Telecomunica, which provides internet and television services.
The telecoms company plans to invest $50 million in equipment to expand 4G network coverage in remote areas of the capital.
Digicel El Salvador announced plans for 2015 to invest about $50 million, ie $10 million more than the invested made to upgrade technologies in 2014. Besides this project, the company will be updating the central management system for telephone calls, following the entry into force of number portability in the country.
Costa Rica is the regional leader in 4G data consumption through mobile devices and 4G networks.
America Movil (Claro) and Telefonica (Movistar) agree that Costa Rica is the country with the highest data traffic in Central America, this is because it is the only country that does not charge for downloading data, but rather by the speed offered by providers.
The President of Grupo Digicel has announced investments over the next eighteen months of more than $40 million.
In his short visit to El Salvador, Denis O'Brien was interviewed about the expansion, with topics covered such as the Salvadoran authorities refusal to authorize the sale of Digicel to Claro and the company’s future investments in the country.
The Superintendency of Electricity and Telecommunications in El Salvador is putting out to tender the supply and installation of a wireless telecommunications network to interconnect schools.
The Superintendency of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET), has created a tender for the design, supply, installation and implementation of a Wireless Telecommunications Network for the interconnection of public schools in the Northern, Central and Western parts of the country and the Ministry of Education’s Data Center (MINED).
Regarding for fixed broadband, there are only 10 lines per 100 people in the region, and as for mobile broadband, the average penetration is 15 lines per 100 people.
A statement from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reads:
Report: how to expand access and lower bandwidth costs in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Companies, academic institutions and international organizations have proposed options for reducing the digital divide.
Broadband telecommunications technologies have the potential to stimulate rapid economic growth and facilitate job creation.
The report, "Broadband: a platform for progress", published by the United Nations, urges countries to implement national plans for broadband, so as not to risk losing the benefits of global high-speed digital communication .
The report shows, by way of example, that every 10 percent increase in broadband penetration in China could contribute to an increase of 2.5 percent extra growth in the gross domestic product (GDP). Other data cited in the report indicates that for countries of low and middle incomes, a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration could mean up to a 1.4 percent point increase in economic growth.
Like electricity or roads, digital communications with unlimited bandwidth is essential for development.
Question: "In Costa Rica, broadband Internet implies a top speed of 512 Kbps. The government's plan is to raise that limit to 1,544 Mbps Where does that leave the country?"
Answer: "This leaves the country at the end of country rankings. And that's bad."
The computer maker and the telecommunications company seek to double the region’s internet penetration.
Under the terms of the alliance, the companies will market plans for customers to acquire computers and internet access services with special financing programs, explained Jorge Castillo, commercial director at Claro Guatemala.
Castillo added that 4 of HP’s computers will be sold at Claro’s stores with internet access included.
Comparison and analysis of both fixed and mobile connection charges.
An article by Jorge Coj Sam on The Black Box comments that, “a detailed analysis of the cost per Kbps with different companies in the Mexican and Central American markets uncovers several surprises”.
Comparing the cost of different connection speeds reveals a clear advantage in Costa Rica where charges are the lowest at most of the speeds offered.
The telecommunications industry is one of the most successful in El Salvador; its market is one of the most unregulated of Central America.
An article in Ecommerce Journal analyzed the Salvadoran Telecomm market and its opportunities. It noted that once the market was privatized and opened to competition in 1998, foreign and local operators proceeded to invest millions in infrastructure development.