Connectivity Gaps in Latin America
Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
A Roadmap for Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador
Recent years have seen an internet connectivity revolution in Latin America. Between 2014 and 2021, the number of people in the region with mobile internet access nearly doubled, from 220 million to almost 400 million. Despite this spectacular growth, 230 million people remain without access to mobile internet. And in contrast to the fast pace of change seen over the last few years, further progress will be increasingly complex.
Lack of demand (the ‘usage gap’) is the main driver of the mobile internet connectivity gap across Latin America. Some 190 million people across the region (of the 230 million unconnected), in both urban and rural areas, live in locations with mobile internet network coverage but do not access the internet. Despite a continued decline in service prices, this usage gap remains due to a lack of affordability.
This report examines the limitations of the current design of universal service funds (USFs) and proposes reforms and alternative options to expand 4G connectivity levels by 2030.
Related research
Spectrum Pricing in the 5G Era: Türkiye
As demand for mobile data accelerates, spectrum policy will play a decisive role in determining whether Türkiye can keep pace with international connectivity standards or fall behind.
The future of road transportation: benchmarking spectrum and regulatory readiness for connected vehicles
GSMA Intelligence has benchmarked regulatory readiness for connected vehicles across 15 markets, using key indicators such as the presence of V2X policies and spectrum allocation for safety and non-safety ITS applications. The assessment reveals an average index score of 84 and a fragmented landscape with different levels of readiness for connected-vehicles deployment. Despite the promising opportunities, significant challenges remain, including those related to connectivity technologies, spectrum allocation, safety, privacy and security. Addressing these issues will require a number of regulatory frameworks to be developed and refined.
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Spectrum Pricing in the 5G Era: Türkiye
As demand for mobile data accelerates, spectrum policy will play a decisive role in determining whether Türkiye can keep pace with international connectivity standards or fall behind.
The future of road transportation: benchmarking spectrum and regulatory readiness for connected vehicles
GSMA Intelligence has benchmarked regulatory readiness for connected vehicles across 15 markets, using key indicators such as the presence of V2X policies and spectrum allocation for safety and non-safety ITS applications. The assessment reveals an average index score of 84 and a fragmented landscape with different levels of readiness for connected-vehicles deployment. Despite the promising opportunities, significant challenges remain, including those related to connectivity technologies, spectrum allocation, safety, privacy and security. Addressing these issues will require a number of regulatory frameworks to be developed and refined.
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics