Published on June 22, 2016
Also available in: Spanish
English | Broadband Policies for Latin America and the Caribbean (Summary in English) | |
Spanish | Políticas de banda ancha para América Latina y el Caribe | |
Portuguese | Políticas de Banda Larga para a América Latina e as Caraíbas |
Preface | |
Foreword | |
Executive summary | |
Broadband and beyond in Latin America and the Caribbean | |
Regulatory frameworks and digital strategies | |
Spectrum policy | |
Competition and infrastructure bottlenecks | |
Extending broadband access and services | |
Affordability, government charges and digital inclusion | |
Convergence | |
Regional integration | |
Skills and jobs in the digital economy | |
Business uptake, entrepreneurship and digital content | |
E-Health | |
Digital government | |
Consumer protection and e-commerce | |
Digital security risk management | |
Privacy protection |
INTERACTIVE WEBSITE
Visit the Broadband Policies for Latin America and the Caribbean - A Digital Economy Toolkit website
Executive summary
Broadband networks are the foundation of digital economies. Increased availability and effective use of the services enabled by broadband can advance social inclusion, productivity and good governance. A range of challenges has to be overcome, however, in providing readily accessible, universal and locally relevant broadband-based services in many parts of the world. In the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, some 300 million people have no access to the Internet. While new generations of broadband networks are rapidly emerging, much remains to be done to expand the necessary infrastructure and to encourage individuals, business and governments to make the most of what broadband has to offer.
Increasing connectivity and the use of digital services in the LAC region will require policies and practices that address major supply and demand issues in a holistic and coherent manner. The Broadband Policies for Latin America and the Caribbean: A Digital Economy Toolkit sheds light on good practices and case studies, based on a whole-of-government approach. Its aim is to offer public authorities an overview of the policies, regulatory practices and options that can maximise the potential of broadband as a driver of economic and social development. The 15 chapters of this Toolkit cover a broad array of topics on broadband policy making, from digital strategies, regulatory frameworks and spectrum management, to competition, access, affordability and taxation, including education, skills and business uptake, as well digital security and privacy.
Key findings
The chief challenges for increasing broadband access and use in the LAC region relate either to supply-side issues, such as infrastructure deployment and provision of broadband services, or to demand-side issues, such as skills, entrepreneurship, local content and consumer protection. In these respects:
Key recommendations
The task of increasing broadband access and usage is complex, involving major supply and demand-side issues. Extending broadband use cannot be addressed by policy makers and regulators alone. Broader structural issues must be addressed, with the help of all relevant stakeholders. Good practices in this respect include the following: