Connectivity with purpose: closing the digital divide in LATAM

The situation

Access Partnership has been supporting the Organization of American States (OAS), a regional political and economic alliance, and more specifically the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL), the OAS body responsible for telecommunications policy, in their regional efforts to reduce the digital divide and modernise regulatory frameworks. Through the development of roadmaps, observatories, and strategies, Access Partnership and CITEL aim to strengthen public policies related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) across Latin America.

In light of this, the CITEL Secretariat has provided technical assistance for Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Panama, Paraguay, Colombia, and Bolivia. These efforts include the design of rural connectivity roadmaps to support the effective adoption of OAS General Assembly Resolution 2966, as well as technical support for its implementation.

This unique initiative is estimated to have benefited more than 23% of the total rural population in these countries, which represents about 5.2 million previously unconnected people.

Building on this foundation, Access Partnership’s involvement has driven significant progress across several countries.

This targeted technical assistance aimed to strengthen the implementation of rural connectivity roadmaps for each administration and provide tailored policy and regulatory support. These roadmaps offer step-by-step frameworks to reduce the usage gap in underserved areas, focusing on affordability, resilience, and adoption.

Regional leadership in action

During the recent meeting of the Permanent Consultative Committee I (PCC.I), CITEL’s main forum for digital policy and regulation, held in Santiago de Chile, Paula Corte Real, Manager of the Digital Infrastructure team, and Geusseppe González, Head of LATAM, provided technical assistance by leading implementation workshops with representatives from Panama, Dominican Republic, and Colombia.

PCC.I is the region’s primary platform for advancing policy, regulation, and trust in digital services. In Santiago, member states prioritised universal rural connectivity, resilience for disaster response, and consumer protection. With rural populations in the Americas facing persistent adoption barriers, delegates highlighted the need for clear roadmaps integrating multiple technologies and innovative policy tools.

As these discussions illustrate, collaboration at the regional level is key to overcoming the digital divide and ensuring all communities can benefit from digital transformation.

The impact

Key objectives achieved by our team during the PCC.I included:

Supporting the OAS/CITEL Secretariat

with drafting, facilitation, and stakeholder management to ensure effective policy development.

Equipping Colombia, Panama, and Dominican Republic

with expert technical analysis for their rural connectivity roadmaps – anchored in adoption targets and feasible regulatory models.

Promoting multi-access connectivity strategies

that combine submarine fibre, terrestrial, and satellite solutions to bring ICT services to rural and remote areas.

Advancing roadmap implementation

including an analysis of initiatives successfully delivered by each administration and planning next steps for continued progress.

These achievements set the stage for measurable improvements in rural connectivity across the region.

The deliverables

Each of the reports and roadmaps, as well as implementation reports for all administrations involved in the project, can be found here:

CITEL Technical Assistance Projects.

By making these resources publicly available, CITEL and Access Partnership are promoting transparency and informed decision-making among stakeholders.

Country-specific technical support

Rural connectivity has steadily improved in Colombia, Panama, and the Dominican Republic thanks to multi-stakeholder collaboration led by CITEL and national organisations, including civil society and telecommunications companies. Notable recent advancements include new spectrum rules in Panama, a tenfold (10X) increase in rural digital literacy investment in the Dominican Republic, and a new regulatory framework for fixed community internet service providers in Colombia.

The real impact of these changes is felt in local communities. For example, thanks to the new spectrum rules in Panama, rural schools now have reliable internet access for the first time, enabling students to participate in online learning programmes and connect with educational opportunities beyond their villages. In the Dominican Republic, increased investment in digital literacy has empowered local entrepreneurs to launch small businesses online, broadening their markets and improving livelihoods. In Colombia, the regulatory framework for community internet providers has enabled remote villages to establish and sustain their own networks, fostering digital inclusion from the ground up.

It is also important to highlight that CITEL and Access Partnership have provided technical workshops to these three countries, including actionable policy recommendations to advance their respective roadmaps. As a result, all the participating administrations have progressed well, exceeded key indicators, and demonstrated a strong commitment to collaborative digital inclusion and the sustainability of connectivity.

Next steps

Colombia, Panama, and the Dominican Republic are leading the region in expanding telecommunications in rural, remote, or underserved areas. Additional regulatory actions are expected in 2025, with the goal of having all roadmaps fully adopted by late 2026. At the same time, other OAS member states continue to make progress in designing their own rural connectivity roadmaps, ensuring that transparency and data-driven strategies remain central to their efforts.

At Access Partnership, we help organisations navigate the challenges and opportunities of connectivity in Latin America. Drawing on our deep regulatory insight and market expertise, we help clients stay agile and prepared for the evolving digital landscape.