It turns out that Peru can also get ambitious, seeing that it has embarked on ensuring that millions of people living in remote areas can access satellite internet. According to a governmental decree, the project will see the erection of satellite internet connection areas in not less than 860 locations. Some of them include Amazonas, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto, just but to mention a few. It would also lead to cyber cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots becoming the order of the day in villages.
In announcements through local newspapers, the government has a goal to achieve before July this year comes to an end. That’s because it plans to set up over 3,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in areas accessible to the public. According to Eduardo Gonzalez, the Communication Minister of Peru, over a thousand internet access centers will crop up. By the end of six months, the residents will be enjoying the services from approximately 500 centers since they will be operational by then. He added that the project has so far cost the government up to $40.5 million, and his ministry has already received it to facilitate this incredible venture.
The government is planning to do it in phases, and it has a plan as to where to start and where to go next. As for the Wi-Fi hotspots, early beneficiaries will include provinces such as Lima, Cusco, Lambayeque, Apurimac, Ayacucho and Huancavelica. After that, more Wi-Fi hotspots will be developed, which will amount to an additional 3,000 hotspots. It is important to note that all this revolves around the rural telecommunication infrastructure exclusively.
Just like most parts of the world, Peru is also experiencing a digital divide. There are areas, especially the most remote places, experience problems with an internet connection. That’s usually the case since very few connectivities are usually viable under such conditions. For the possible options, private telecommunication firms shy away from investing in the remote years. After all, profits are in most cases directly proportional to the number of customers and if that was something to go by, investing in such sparsely populated locations where most people also don’t use the internet that much would not be a wise decision for any business looking forward to making money out of its investment.
Fortunately, the citizens of Peru have a reason to celebrate because its government plans to come to their rescue. Satellite internet is well-known for its compatibility even when other options are impossible. It will mean a narrower, if not no, digital divide over time. However, the government has a long way to go because 30% of its area is yet to access the World Wide Web up to date.
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