In 11 of 14 countries in the region, access to Internet in the wealthiest households is thirty times higher than in low-income homes, underscoring the importance public Internet access centers to compensate socio-economic differences.

These indicators are a result of the new ICT Statistical Information System created by ECLAC’s Observatory for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean (OSILAC).

The online system permits processing data on the use and access of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) based on harmonized data collected through household surveys conducted in 17 countries in the region. It provides quantitative information on the current state, development, gaps and effects of ICT, contributing to the design and evaluation of public policies in this area. The system includes 47 ICT and 20 socio-economic variables that can be compared over time, within countries, with other countries and at a regional level. OSILAC designed this system with the financial support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada.

Percentage of households with Internet in the highest and lowest income quintiles

Source: ICT Statistical Information System, official online. OSILAC estimates based on data provided through country household surveys.