The growth rate of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Latin America will stagnate, according to the Information Society Indicator (ISI), prepared by Everis and the Centre for Companies in Latin America (CELA), of the IESE business school. The price of oil, the rise in inflation and interest rates mean that less credit will be available and these are, therefore, the main reasons for this decline.
Despite this trend, there have been considerable improvements in all areas, in particular an increase in computers (23%) and a 16% increase in internet users, which brings the total to 259 users per 1,000 inhabitants.
Argentina continues to lead in terms of growth in mobile telephones (1,105 phones) and internet domains (87), per 1,000 inhabitants in both cases. However, 147 computers per 1,000 inhabitants is still below the Latin American average, which is at 159 units.
Furthermore, Argentina has been the country whose demand in computers and servers has grown the most. There has been a year-on-year increase of 35% which reached 197 computers per 1,000 inhabitants and has once again, like last quarter, been able to better the Latin American average. Servers also increased in number, up 19.1% with 2.9 units per 1,000 inhabitants.
In turn, what is particular about Brazil is the 22.9% year-on-year increase of mobile telephones until reaching 711 units per 1,000 inhabitants and the 22.6% year-on-year increase in computers until reaching 213 units per 1000 inhabitants.
In addition, the study conducted by Everis and IESE show that Chile experienced a decline despite the fact that computers, which have a 28 % year-on-year increase, higher than the regional average at 308 units per 1,000 persons, represent the largest penetration in Latin America. By contrast, in the areas of mobile telephones, Internet domains and Internet users, Chile showed the least growth of all the countries analysed.
Colombia particularly stands out because of internet usage; the number of users has increased 27.6% year-on-year until reaching 290 per thousand persons. Despite this, the country continues to represent the smallest number of computers amongst the countries studied, with an increase of 24.7%.
Thus, Columbia has 80 computers per 1,000 inhabitants; Internet domains are the weak point within the ICT. Currently there is less than 1 Internet domain per 1,000 persons, the lowest number in the region and well below the Latin American average.
On the other hand, Mexico shows a lower penetration in servers and users than the regional average. The server total is 2.7 units and internet users come to 231 individuals, per 1,000 persons in both cases. The year-on-year increase of 9.2% has been the same in both cases.
Finally, as a new element, the report includes an analysis of ICT development in Peru. All technological developments were positive, in particular mobile telephones, with a year-on-year increase of 47.6%. Peru currently has 686 mobiles per thousand persons and although this suggests the lowest penetration of mobile phones in the region, it is not far from the Latin American average.
Posted to the site on 5th December 2008
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