Between 2018 and 2020, it is estimated that the demand for data services in the fixed and mobile network grew 2.5 times, a rise that can be partly explained by the need to work at a distance and receive educational services online.
Because of the spread of covid-19 and the imposition of restrictions on mobility, businesses, workers and consumers have had to migrate to the digital environment at great speed.
The Akamai report for the fourth quarter of 2016, notes that compared to the previous quarter, there was an increase of 10% on the average internet connection speed in Panama and a reduction of 1.2% in Costa Rica.
Although average internetaccess speed (IPv4) remains very low compared to otherLatin Americancountriesand other regions, the "Akamai State of the Internet IVQ 2016" report, states that both countries saw increases compared to the same quarter of 2015. Costa Rica registered an interannual increase of 15%, while in Panama the interannual increase was 47%.
The country's loss of competitiveness because of the deterioration of basic infrastructure development, is replicated in the case of the internet where average speeds are only 2.8 Mbps, far from the world average and below that of most countries in the region.
Costa Rica stands out in Central America for the quality and volume of goods and services related to technology which it produces and exports.
Panama is proposing installing on its territory a regional IXP to reduce the cost of data transmission between Central American countries.
An IXP is a piece of infrastructure which enables internet traffic to move between networks and through this interface to connect directly, without using an intermediate network. Among the advantages of an IXP are the higher availability of bandwidth and reducing costs in regional Internet traffic.
Costa Rica has implemented a Neutral Internet Exchange Point, a concept that could be extrapolated to the entire region to reduce operating costs and increase connection speeds.
There is no need to explain the benefits that greater use of the internet brings to economic development, which is always dependent on the associated costs. The integration of internet connectivity through so-called traffic exchange points (IXP), should be incorporated into strategies for Central American integration.
The National Telecommunications Fund plans to develop seven projects in the areas of education, social welfare, health and homes, which will feature, for the first time, internet and telephone services.
According to the Telecommunications Superintendency (Sutel), there are a total of 477 schools, 78 colleges, 155 Ebais (health centres), 25 Cecis and 70 CEN- CINAI which will be connected with a speed of 4 megabytes.
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. '
In a new phase of liberalization of communications, competition is beginning to stir in and satellite television and internet services.
Elfinancierocr.com reports that "The Mexican company Claro and the U.S. Datzap will be the first in the country to offer satellite services, following the opening phase of the telecommunications market. At the time of going to press, the executive order that will give the green light and allow Datzap to provide satellite television and internet, respectively, was on the list of pending documents to be signed by the President of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla. This will open a window to attract more competition in the telecommunications market. Satellite services leverage waves radiating from the country's satellites orbiting in space. This technology provides broadband internet, pay television, geolocation (GPS) and mobile telephony. "
The Ministry of Education in Panama is putting out to tender the acquisition, installation and configuration of a wireless services platform that will work in 162 schools.
The tender includes components and equipment for a WLAN wireless access network.
The expected date for submission of proposals is 24 September 2012 between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
A study by Pyramid Research says that the telecommunications market in 2011 generated revenues of $2,400 million.
Of the total, 69% ($1,600 million) corresponds to the mobile phone business and the rest is divided between internet, cable television and fixed telephony services.
"Guatemala is one of the countries with the fastest growth of mobile telephone use, the number of lines increased from 64,194 in 1997 to over 18.5 million in June 2011 with an average of 127 lines per100 inhabitants due to market privatization and the arrival of 2 new operators in the market", reported Elperiodico.com.gt.
The delay in granting concessions has led U.S. company DatZap to file a formal complaint.
Covered under the free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S., the company complains of delays of more than one year in obtaining permits for satellite internet.
The Ministry of International Trade ruled that such action may pose a risk to the country.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, Federico Valerio, told Nacion.com, "the U.S.