Communications currently being the engine of development, Latin America is moving at low speeds in a vehicle that is too costly.
An article in Elfinancierocr.com quotes the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Alberto Moreno, who highlights what all Latin Americans are suffering from: a brutal disadvantage in the availability of broadband connectivity, compared with developed countries.
It is the first country in Central America to use Fourth Generation (4G) technology for data transmission on mobile phones.
A press release from Claro reads:
“Panama, August 9, 2011 .-
Claro, a leading telecommunications company in Central America, presents the first fourth generation 4G mobile network based on HSPA + technology which will allow its customers to increase the transmission speed of data for browsing and downloading content via a mobile Internet service either by using their cell phones or by logging onto a computer or laptop with a 4G modem.
Telecoms companies should cut their package prices to enable mass Internet access.
"While Latin America is one of the regions with most cell phones (three for every PC), the reality is that the telcoms companies are still conspiring to limit the inevitable growth in using them for web-access."
The article by Alexandre Hohagen in Martesfinanciero.com comments that the way to universalise Internet access is via low cost mobile platforms such as netbooks and inteligent phones, but most importantly by offering more economic payment plans including unlimited connection.
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.
In 2015 Central America will sell $2 billion in paid television and broadband services, both wireless and cable.
A report from consulting company Signals Telecom foresees a battle in broadband services, as the average speeds offered in Central America are below South American and Caribbean averages.
They also expect competition to cause improvements in 3G coverage, and the introduction of more added value services.
In 2008, only 6 out of each 100 persons had internet access in Guatemala. The situation seems poised to change with the current competition in the 3G mobile market.
4 companies offer 21 different plans for wireless internet access, via devices containing a SIM card similar to those used by mobile cell phones, only that these devices only send and receive data using the same networks as mobile phones.