Guatemala
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General Information
Network Access
  Information Infrastructure
  Internet Availability
  Internet Affordability
  Network Speed & Quality, Hardware and Software, and Service and Support
   
Networked Learning
Networked Society
Networked Economy
Network Policy
Offshore Readiness
Recommendations
 

Network access is defined and assessed by a number of components.  The ability of a country to access a global network infrastructure an participate in the global economy fueled by the Internet.  A country’s access to global network can be influenced by a number of things; financial resources, trade policies influencing the country’s ability to obtain the resources the build its own network, industrial resources for manufacturing its own resources, access to education and trained professionals.  Overall, there are six categories used to assess a country’s access to a global network.  The following sections will discuss Guatemala’s network access within these categories.

Information Infrastructure

Information infrastructure in developing countries is dependent on the network built for traditional telephony services provided by a copper twisted pair.  Although in the United States we take universal access of telephony services for granted, many countries do not have a reliable telephony network, and even if they do, it does not expand to the more remote areas of the country. 

 General facts on Guatemala’s Communications System

·        Modern telephone network centered in Guatemala City

·        Full competition in basic telecom services including voice telephony for local long distance and international including voice telephony, data transmission, private leased circuits, paging, mobile cellular and satellite services. 

·        International telephony provided through connection to the Central American Microwave and Satellite

 

Cellular networks:
As of 10/11/02 there were four cellular phone networks in Guatemala: Bell South, Telefonica, PCS Digital (Sercom), Comcel. Bell South is the most recent entrant, yet was confident of near exponential growth in the near future for Guatemala.

The following graph shows the relative distribution of cell phone users.

Source: SIT: Superintendencia Del Telecomunicationes Guatemala

 

Internet Availability

Tele-distribution:
Due to the unequal distribution of wealth and infrastructure 69% of all telephones are in Guatemala City with about 2 million people. 95% of all telephones are provided by Telgua (a Private Telecommunication company that used to belong to the government)

Internet Usage

Due to the many obstacles IT implementation faces in Guatemala, the primary use by businesses is in utilizing the internets ability to reach across the boundaries and into foreign markets.  Tourist information web sites are most plentiful followed by the sales of agricultural products.   There are a number of cyber café that offer basic Internet access. 

Internet Penetration:
Current estimates show that Guatemala has a 1.5% Internet penetration rate, meaning that only 1.5% of the population has access to the Internet.

 
Global Information Technology Report 2001-2002
Networked Readiness Index Rank 68
Network Use Component Index 62
Enabling Factors Component Index 66
Network Access 58
Information Infrastructure 53
Hardware, Software, and Support 63
Network Policy 64
Business and Economic Environment 68
ICT Policy 60
Networked Society 66
Networked Learning 70
ICT Opportunities 56
Social Capital 73
Networked Economy 67
e-Commerce 65
e-Government 65
General Infrastructure 70

GUATEL the telephone company of Guatemala announced its ISP regulations in 1996.  This lead to the growth in Internet access and availability.  MayaNet provided the first academic and research connection. The following universities in Guatemala all participate in MayaNet.:

  • USAC, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
  • UVG, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
  • Universidad Francisco Marroquín
  • Universidad Mariano Gálvez
  • URL, Universidad Rafael Landívar
  • INCAP, Instituto de Nutrición de Centroamérica y Panamá, a regional nutrition research institute
  • ICAITI (Instituto Centroamericano de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial), a regional industrial research institute
  • CONCYT , Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, the national science and technology council.

In 2002 there were an estimated 200,000 internet users in Guatemala.  This number is expected to rise exponentially as access and affordability of the internet increases.  There are 12 ISPs servicing Guatemala Internet.  These include:

Internet Affordability

Currently the average Internet user spends about $20 for 20 hours of Internet service.  As a wireless network is deployed through the completion of spectrum auctions, Guatemalan internet access will become more affordable. (See Network Policy section on page). 

Network Speed & Quality, Hardware and Software, and Service and Support

Strives in network speed and quality, hardware and software availability and service and support are being pursued by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC),  a “public corporation created by the Canadian government to help communities in the developing world find solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems through research”.

The Information and Communication Technologies for Development Component of the CSPF

IDRC's has developed a Corporate Strategy and Program Framework (CSPF) for 2000-2005 The goal is to harness knowledge to increase development opportunities by directing research toward:

·        access to information technologies, to ensure equitable and sustainable access to information and to the use of information and communication technologies so that all of society benefits;

·        information economy, to understand developments in the information economy and respond to the concerns of communities and small businesses, and to explore the local effects of global trade rules and e-commerce.  

Some of IDRC's Program Initiatives

·         PAN Networking in Latin America and the Caribbean is how channels its support for ICT-related projects.  Using the Internet as a tool to provide affordable means to connect individuals and institutions to improve research collaboration, information exchange, resource sharing, and communication.

·         Creating a network of telecenters.  The project has created a virtual community and network of telecenters that use the Internet as well as provide tools to better support and manage telecenters, especially in marginalized communities.

·         Exploring connectivity for street kids in Latin America.  This project sets up or improves Internet access facilities and training programs in collaboration with local organizations working with street children

·         MISTICA an acronym for Methodology and Social Impact of Information and Communication Technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean will use the Internet technology to nurture a network of Latin American and Caribbean academics and social activists as well as experiment with different ways of making this work, technically and socially.

·         Capacity development for internet use in Latin America and the Caribbean by supporting a number of projects to develop capacities for Internet use in Latin America.

·         Radio Net  An international broadcasting association, the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), is helping community radio stations in Latin America and the Caribbean use the Internet to strengthen their programming.

 

Tele-density:
Stats: Population 13,314,079 July 2002
Total # of telephones 712,625 (June 2002)
Telephone lines per 1000 people: 53.52
Total # of cellular phones 935,488 (September 2000)
Cellular phones per 1000 people : 70.26