Spotlight: Latin America’s efforts to bring connectivity to schools

From coverage commitments in spectrum auctions to broadband programs and the use of satellite and fiber optics, Latin American countries are advancing in connecting schools to the internet. 

As the new school year starts in much of the continent, many countries in Latin America have announced plans to connect more educational institutes.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Wednesday her goal to connect all schools, hospitals and healthcare centers in the next six years. 

The project will be led by state electricity and telecommunications company CFE. 

CFE's Telecomunicaciones e Internet para Todos has 3,824 communications towers, 27,284km of fiber optics and 108,607 free Wi-Fi points deployed all over the country. 

And last week, Mexico’s Jalisco state said that 7,000 public schools and more than 2,000 health centers already have internet access as part of the connectivity project Red Jalisco. Jalisco has planned an 800mn-peso (US$38.9mn) investment in 2025 to enhance the network.

Brazil

In Brazil, the Aprender Conectado project, which brings high-speed connection to schools, launched a request for proposals for the installation of internal and external networks in 8,000 schools in 22 states. 

Aprender Conectado emerged with the 5G tender public notice, which allocated resources of 3.1bn reais (US$536mn) to bring connectivity to basic public schools. 

In previous phases, 5,100 schools were authorized to connect, 1,900 via broadband and 3,200 via satellite. Of these, more than 1,300 schools already have an external network, 2,600 have an internal network and the implementation process is ongoing. 

Paraguay

In Paraguay, ICT ministry Mitic has a US$60mn project to connect schools.

Financed by education and research fund FEEI, the project has already connected 374 establishments to a network, while 844 educational establishments have contracted internet services. 

Another 1,020 educational establishments under the education and science ministry’s ICT program were connected to the internet.  

The two ministries and FEEI met last week to discuss the next actions in relation to the school connectivity project which is scheduled to be completed in 2028. 

Satellites

The launch of low-orbit constellations, such as Elon Musk's Starlink, has offered cost-effective alternatives to terrestrial networks for rural schools and the technology has been quite successful in large countries such as Argentina.

According to ONG Enseñá por Argentina, more than 17,000 schools in the country lack adequate connectivity.

Recently, Argentine satellite company Orbith reported that 3,500 schools were connected to its network. 

Orbith has multiple agreements with satellites companies, including Eutelsat OneWeb, Hispasat, Arsat and SES for the use of capacity. 

The company is working with Mendoza province on a project to connect 230 rural schools. Likewise, in Río Negro, Orbith is working with state company Altec to connect 49 rural schools. 

Meanwhile, Córdoba province has chosen Starlink to connect more than 600 schools in rural and mountainous areas. The project led by Córdoba’s connectivity agency, part of the economy ministry, allows students, teachers and rural communities to have 300MB of high-quality connectivity.

In Chile, 29 rural schools in the southern Puerto Montt area will be connected to internet through satellite technology with a 68mn- pesos (US$69,970) investment. 

The project, which will start operations in March, includes a satellite connection with speeds of up to 50Mbps with permanent technical support, while the equipment will be the property of each establishment, news outlet SoyChile reported.

Other initiatives

In Colombia, Claro announced that it has provided free internet to 17 educational institutions in Quindío department, as part of the connected schools for Colombia program, benefiting 9,500 students and teachers.

The program has connected more than 340 locations with nearly 370,000 students.

Panama is also planning to launch a tender to connect educational establishments. Last week, the education ministry said that given the need to implement internet service in schools in a timely manner, it has been decided to carry out a process through the Panamá Compras portal.

The documents for the tender have not been published yet. 

Also in Panama, Cable & Wireless has been offering high-speed internet connectivity to 89 educational centers of the 165 nationwide, national media TVN reported.

The institutions access internet speeds of up to 1,000Mbps.