AFP Argentina connected The Government of Argentina recognizes the importance training to public-school students, extending connectivity to re- of broadband for social and economic development, and mote areas, and establishing public access ICT centres. last year launched a major plan to increase broadband The strategic orientations of Argentina Conectada are digital connectivity for individuals, businesses, educational in- inclusion; optimizing use of the radio-frequency spectrum; devel- stitutions and government offi ces across the nation. oping universal service; national production and creation of em- ployment in the telecommunication sector; training and research in telecommunication technologies; infrastructure and connectiv- ity; and capacity building. Developments in broadband In order to give effect to the plan, the government has de- and digital television clared the development, implementation and operation of the Argentina’s President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner pre- federal fi bre-optic network entrusted to the Empresa Argentina sented the country’s National Telecommunication Plan Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales SA (AR-SAT), a government-owned cor- Conectada (Argentina Connected) on 18 October 2010. The plan poration, to be a public interest project. combines under a single connectivity initiative several other ef- President Cristina Fernández says with great pride, “The Plan forts already under way, the main thrust of which is public in- ‘Argentina Connected’ means above all the democratization of vestment for the deployment of communications infrastructure, access to information and communication technologies for all equipment and services. In particular, it integrates ongoing pro- sectors of our society.” The plan is built upon the premise that grammes aimed at digitizing terrestrial broadcasting, providing the development of broadband requires not only the availability information and communication technology (ICT) equipment and of basic data transport infrastructure and affordable connectivity 24 ITU News 7 | 2011 September 2011 Argentina connected services, but also appropriate principles in the wholesale applications and content, a data transport market. This large installed base of termi- strategy is complemented nal equipment, and the ex- with fi nancial incentives to pansion of ICT skills among local operators to encour- citizens. age them to provide last-mile Argentina has a long connectivity and to establish tradition of well-developed public access centres across public utilities, and ranks the country. The goal is to high within Latin America expand broadband access to in broadband adoption. In more than 10 million house- September 2010, the num- holds by 2015. ber of residential broadband connections reached 4.5 mil- Carlos Lisandro Salas, Argentina’s Secretary of State for lion (an increase of 30 per Communications, with Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary-General The role of satellite cent from the previous year) of ITU In April 2011, ITU in a population of some Secretary-General Hamadoun 40 million. I. Touré visited the INVAP fa- cilities in the city of San Carlos de Bariloche in the Province of Río Negro to see how, Arsat-1, the Argentine geostationary satellite Rolling out a 12 000 km fi bre-optic network is being built. He also toured AR-SAT’s Earth station and satel- The plan directs the investment of more than USD 1 billion lite control and monitoring centre in Benavídez in Buenos Aires. (ARS 4.24 million) over fi ve years to expand broadband Internet Arsat-1 is planned for launch in mid-2012, and will provide data access and free-to-air digital terrestrial television to the whole transmission, telephone and television services mainly across all country. of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. The investment will be used in rolling out a 12 000 km fi bre- “Satellites provide invaluable solutions, particularly in hard optic network — to which must be added the further kilometres to-reach rural areas and for essential backhaul capacity needed laid under capacity acquisition and exchange agreements with by other operators. We will closely pay attention to the whole pro- provincial and private operators — and installing 47 digital cess until its launch,” Dr Touré said at the “Telecommunications transmission towers to provide 75 per cent of the country’s popu- Forum 2011: Argentina Connected” in Buenos Aires on 27 April, lation access to the free-to-air digital terrestrial television service, where he was invited by the Ministry of Federal Planning, Public according to the President. Investment and Services. “The success of this project will confi rm AR-SAT will deploy and operate the new fi bre-optic network. that developing countries have the knowledge and the tools to Under the terms of the project, AR-SAT will fulfi l connectivity participate on an equal footing with developed countries in so- demands in the public sector and operate under open network phisticated technological markets. We hope that AR-SAT, which ITU News 7 | 2011 September 2011 25 Argentina connected is playing a leading part in this project and is a Sector Member of transition. The ITU, where this standard was approved, is ready the ITU Development Sector, will be soon sharing its experience to support a smooth transition through the identifi cation of ap- with the rest of the ITU family,” Dr Touré added. propriate mechanisms of conversion; the elaboration of compre- hensive guidelines; and the training of human resources; among other activities,” says Dr Touré. Free-to-air digital terrestrial television The National Government, through the implementation of open digital television, will foster democratic access to communi- ITU support for digital inclusion in Argentina cations, as a tool for social inclusion, providing all the country’s The ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) inhabitants with the opportunity to enjoy free-to-air digital ter- has long collaborated with the Secretaria de Comunicaciones restrial television, with diversity of information and high picture (SECOM) in Argentina. Since 1998, ITU has worked with SECOM and sound quality. to help install community technology centres throughout the In contrast to what has happened in most countries that have country. A USD 3 million cooperation project, signed in 2010, switched from analogue to digital television, in Argentina the aims to help reduce the digital divide. technological leap began with the poorest households. Before In line with the National Telecommunication Plan, and work- the 2010 Football World Cup, the government distributed free ing together with national, provincial and municipal govern- converter boxes so that families with the least resources could ments, ITU and SECOM’s Programa Sociedad de la información use the new technology on their old television sets. (PSI) is now equipping 19 nucleos de acceso al conocimiento According to Télam, the national news agency of Argentina, — NAC (knowledge access centres) in public spaces, such as by May 2011 the government had distributed 400 000 converters community centres, throughout the country. These centres will to low-income groups, so now more than one million Argentines provide free public access to ICT, and hence to knowledge, enter- have access to the free-to-air digital terrestrial television service. tainment and training, thus fostering people’s capacity to learn, The digital signal now covers a population of more than develop skills, and participate more fully in community and civic four million. The 18 transmission towers installed to date allow affairs. 15 free signals to reach homes that previously had no access to Each centre will contain: a computer laboratory and training television or could only watch one channel. There are also plans room; a Wi-Fi room for those wishing to connect with personal to distribute 120 000 special converters to people with visual or computers and mobile devices; an audiovisual room with access hearing impairment. to free-to-air digital terrestrial television; and the latest genera- The transition from analogue to digital broadcasting was tion game consoles. “I am very pleased with ITU’s ongoing col- considered by the World Telecommunication Development laboration with SECOM on this project, which fully refl ects our Conference in Hyderabad, India, in May–June 2010, as one of commitment to bringing the benefi ts of ICT to all members of the key issues for the Americas region. “In this sense, we know the community, so that they can fulfi l their potential and are em- that Argentina is working with all the countries that have al- powered to make a valuable contribution to society. The Connect ready adopted the ISDB-T International standard on speeding the Americas Summit, which will be held in July 2012 in Panama, will 26 ITU News 7 | 2011 September 2011 Argentina connected provide an opportunity to boost investment and foster partner- Universal service, a fundamental ships for similar projects throughout the region,” said Brahima tool for digital inclusion Sanou, Director, of the ITU Telecommunication Development Universal telecommunication service plays a key role as one Bureau. of SECOM’s strategic objectives and constitutes a fundamental Among other e-inclusion strategies, ITU/ BDT and PSI/SECOM tool for the regulator in fostering universal access to ICT. The ma- are, in particular, cooperating to foster the digital inclusion of jor objective of the universal service programmes is to promote women and youth living in poor, rural or isolated