Telefonica, Facebook Expand Latin America Connectivity

Telefonica del Peru connects rural communities in Peru through mobile connectivity. Photo: Telefonica del Per

Telefónica, Facebook, IDB Invest and Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) are launching Internet Para Todos (IPT) Peru, an open access wholesale rural mobile infrastructure operator which aims to help bridge the digital divide in Latin America. The goal is to bring mobile broadband to remote populations where conventional telecom infrastructure deployment is not yet economically feasible. Currently, about 100 million people — 20 percent of the Latin American population — do not yet have widespread access to mobile broadband.

Telefónica del Peru is contributing and opening its existing rural business to IpT Peru. Facebook, IDB Invest and CAF are investing in IpT Peru, with the goal of upgrading existing voice services and building new sites to deliver fast mobile Internet coverage in a wholesale Network as a Service model (NAAS). The agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

IpT aims to offer wholesale access to its rural broadband infrastructure through a revenue share model that would enable mobile operators to deliver communication services to individuals, businesses, and other organizations in rural communities. IpT also aims to achieve economic sustainability through partnerships with local communities and by using open technologies that will reduce the cost of deployment in areas where current technologies are cost prohibitive. Additionally, IpT aims to take advantage of cloud architectures, automated network planning, open Radio access solutions (Open RAN) and a combination of optimized fiber and microwave networks.