ANDICOM Attendees Learn of Colombia’s Plans to Connect the Entire Country
ANDICOM, the most important Information and Communications Technology (ICT) summit in Colombia, took place in Cartagena in early September, with more than 6,000 people representing 30 countries in attendance. While Colombia’s government is undergoing a time of transformation, they remain firmly committed to reducing the digital divide.
Throughout the event, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (MinTIC) shared their plans to connect the entire country, including remote regions. As outlined by MinTIC, achieving the connectivity goal of 85% coverage across the country will require:
A combination of technologies.
As Saul Kattan, High Counselor for Digital Transformation, explained during his opening keynote address, “We don’t believe we can connect the country solely with antennas or only with fiber or only with satellites. We are not considering just one technology; we are considering a pool of available technologies today,” including 5G. While multiple transports are ideal, satellite will be imperative to meeting the broad range of needs across Colombia. With the recent launch of our new JUPITER™ 3 satellite, Hughes now has ample capacity over the Americas to provide connectivity for consumer broadband, enterprise networking, cellular backhaul, emergency communications, and aero and maritime mobility applications. The JUPITER System also supports 5G backhaul for both non-standalone and standalone networks.
Private and public sectors working together.
Kattan stressed that to bridge the digital divide, the private and public sectors need to work together. While the private sector has made great progress when it comes to digital transformation initiatives, collaboration between public and private initiatives will be necessary to move forward.
Proper execution of the 5G auction in late 2023.
Essential to improving connectivity will be to strengthen spectrum renewal, optimize its use and secure spectrum rights for 5G. With 5G connectivity, citizens and businesses alike would benefit, as would the digital education initiatives also underway. For mobile network operators (MNOs) in Latin America, 5G will unlock additional revenue streams from consumers by providing fixed wireless access service and by monetizing high-bandwidth applications, such as video or augmented reality applications. Network operators wanting to deploy 5G technology will need access to large blocks of spectrum and the support of partners, like Hughes, with deep experience operating sophisticated networks.
ANDICOM 2023 showcased Colombia's determination to bridge the digital divide through a multifaceted approach, emphasizing collaboration between public and private sectors and the pivotal role of different types of transports in achieving the new government’s top priorities. Discover the many ways Hughes solutions connect the unconnected.