Peru preparing new telecom policy as broadband access spreads

Broadband access is expanding in Peru and will be the focus of a new multi-sector national telecommunications policy on which the Peruvian government is currently working.

President Pedro Castillo said that he has been working with the transport and communications ministry (MTC) to "lay the foundations for true digital inclusion that decentralizes internet access, especially in rural areas where this service doesn't reach," reported news agency Andina.

The new telecommunications policy is intended to improve broadband services around the nation. Preparation of the document will be the responsibility of a multi-sector working group formed by the MTC, national telecoms program Pronatel, regulator Osiptel and other government representatives.

According to the latest survey carried out by Osiptel, as of the end of 2021, some 87.7% of Peruvian households (about 8.7mn) had internet services. The figures also show that 85.8% of households in the country have mobile internet, while 39.4% have a fixed connection.

Internet penetration in homes around the country increased by 21.2 percentage points compared with end-2016, with greater growth seen in rural areas, where the proportion of homes connected to the internet rose from 37.8% to 68.7% in that five-year period.

Part of the increase in connectivity in rural areas can be explained by the regional broadband projects that were launched last year, the Pronatel scheme and the internet for all (IPT) private sector wholesale initiative.

Last year, Telefónica calculated that IPT will end 2021 with 2.4mn users connected in 13,485 rural areas of Peru, compared with 11,000 locations at the end of 2020.

According to the Osiptel survey, there has been a significant jump in mobile internet access in rural areas in recent years, covering 68.3% of households. However, only 9.9% of rural households currently have fixed internet connections.

Recently, the Peruvian State assumed control of the fiber optic backbone (RDNFO). The government is looking to take advantage of this infrastructure for its connectivity programs.

In the first half of this year, investments of 170mn soles (US$42.3mn) were made under the Pronatel program, which was well above the average 126mn soles seen in January-June of 2018-2021.

That increase in spending has made it possible to accelerate the deployment of fiber optics nationwide, with the execution of broadband projects in 18 regions of the country and other programs.