SOURCE: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

TITLE: Progress and challenges of measuring the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean ICT

__________

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION

Document 013-E 27 February 2009

TELECOMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT BUREAU Original: English

7TH WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION/ICT INDICATORS MEETING, CAIRO, EGYPT, 3-5 MARCH 2009

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OSILAC Project,Information Society Program

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)United Nations

Mariana BalboniMariana.Balboni@eclac.org

www.eclac.org/SocInfo

Progress and challenges of measuring the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean ICT

Agenda

I.I. ECLACECLAC’’ss InformationInformation SocietySociety ProgrammeProgramme

II.II. Progress in the measurement of ICT statisticsProgress in the measurement of ICT statistics

III.III. Statistics and Indicators for the digital inclusionStatistics and Indicators for the digital inclusion

IV.IV. IV. Challenges and final reflectionsIV. Challenges and final reflections

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I. I. ECLACECLAC’’ss InformationInformation SocietySocietyProgramProgram

www.cepal.org/Socinfo

Takes place under ECLAC’s Division of Production, Productivity and Management (DPPM)

Receives financing from:

• European Union, Alliance for the Information Society 2 –Inclusive political dialogue and exchange of experiences(@LIS2)

• The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from Canada

SocInfoSocInfo ProgramProgram

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SocInfoSocInfo ProgramProgram

Contributes to the development of InformationSocieties in Latin America and the Caribbean

Current Situation

Analysisand

Research

Policy Proposals

Statistical harmonization

Quantitative and descriptive studies

Project and programme follow-up

Exchange of information and experiences

Regional cooperation

OSILACOSILACObservatoryObservatory forforthethe InformationInformationSocietySociety in in LatinLatinAmerica America andand thethe

CaribbeanCaribbean

www.cepal.org/Socinfo

eLACeLACRegional Regional ActionAction

Plan Plan forfor thetheInformationInformation SocietySociety

SocInfoSocInfo ProgramProgram• 2 main projects:

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• Promote statistical harmonization so as so as toto stengthenstengthenthethe monitoringmonitoring ofof ICT ICT policiespolicies andand projectsprojects in in LatinLatin America America andand thethe CaribbeanCaribbean

•• SupportSupport countriescountries in in thethe compilationcompilation andand analysisanalysis ofofstatisticalstatistical data, data, developing capabilities or assistingcountries with survey Implementation ((NSOsNSOs andandotherother officialofficial institutionsinstitutions))

• Monitor and analyze the progress of the regional countries towardstowards thethe developmentdevelopment ofofInformationInformation SocietiesSocieties

OSILAC OSILAC ObjectivesObjectives

Working together with:

-Partnership on Measuring the ICT for development

To define and gather a common set of ICT indicators and to help developing countries in their efforts to produce statistics of the information society: http://measuring-ict.unctad.org

-Since 2004

OSILACOSILAC

ESCWA

World Bank

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eLACeLAC ObjectivesObjectives

• Support the countries of Latin America in the elaboration, implementation and follow-up of national, regional andsubregional Information Society strategies, particularly theeLAC Regional Action Plan

• Analyze and disseminate best practices and progress in thevarious sectors of the Information Society:

• e-Education• e-Health• e-Inclusion• e-Impact on Productivity and Growth• e-Government and Regional Integration

• Strengthen dialogue and cooperation, both South-South as well as between Europe and Latin America, on political, technical and social aspects of the Information Society, withan end to encouraging R&D

The The eLACeLAC processprocess

• eLAC2007: 30 goals and 70 activities (2005-2007)

• eLAC2010: 83 goals (2008-2010)

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II. How are progressing in the II. How are progressing in the measurement of access and use measurement of access and use

ICT statistics? ICT statistics?

Household access and individual use statistics data Household access and individual use statistics data collectioncollection

Businesses access and use statistics data collectionBusinesses access and use statistics data collection

Monitoring indicators for the Monitoring indicators for the eLACeLAC plan of actionplan of action

Discussing the development of new indicatorsDiscussing the development of new indicators

Activities undertakenActivities undertaken

•• Capacity Buildings Capacity Buildings –– Colombia (2007) y Trinidad Tobago (2009)Colombia (2007) y Trinidad Tobago (2009)•• Information System database developmentInformation System database development•• Annual Meetings Annual Meetings –– next in Rio de Janeiro, 6 to 8 April 2009next in Rio de Janeiro, 6 to 8 April 2009•• Compendium of Practices on the implementation of ICT Compendium of Practices on the implementation of ICT

questions in household and business surveys in LACquestions in household and business surveys in LAC•• Production and dissemination of analytical articlesProduction and dissemination of analytical articles

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Percentage of countries monitoring ICT core indicators (revised list) in household and business surveys

21%14%

11%

0%

79%

29%

37%

14%

Latin America The Caribbean Latin America The Caribbean

Household surveys Business surveys

2000‐2004 2005‐2008

4

15

7

2 2 2

4

Source: OSILAC based on information reported by National Statistical Offices.

Progress in core indicators availability

Number of countries monitoring ICT core indicators (revised list) in household surveys, by indicator

18

20

21

20

2

16

3

3

2

1

1

1

20

20

22

20

12

21

15

17

15

11

7

13

HH1 Radio access at home

HH2  TV access at home

HH3 Telephone access at home

HH4 Computer access at home

HH5 Computer users

HH6 Internet access at home

HH7 Internet users

HH8 Location of Internet use

HH9 Internet activities

HH10 Mobile phone users

HH11 Type of Internet access

HH12 Frequency of Internet use

2000‐20042005‐2008

Source: OSILAC based on information reported by National Statistical Offices.

There are 33 countries in the region

Progress in core indicators availability

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Total number of ICT indicators in bussines surveys

by country

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0 0 0 0 0

5

12 12

7

12 12 12 12

Argentina

Brasil

Cuba

Panamá

Repú

blica

Dom

inicana

Perú

Uruguay

2002‐2004 2005‐2008

Source: OSILAC based on information up to December, 2008.

Progress in core indicators availability

Total number of countries monitoring ICT indicators in 

bussines surveys, by indicator

0

1

2 2 2 2

1

0 0 0

1

0

7 7 7 7

6

7

6 6 6

7 7

6

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 B12

2002‐2004 2005‐2008

Source: OSILAC based on information up to December, 2008.

Progress in core indicators availability

9

52 surveys from 17 countries

• Allowing to create cross-tabulated queries using harmonizedvariables of ICT and socio-demographic and economic

• To combine queries for various countries at the same time

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III. Statistics and Indicators for the III. Statistics and Indicators for the digital inclusiondigital inclusion

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Households with home Internet access by country and income level (%)

Source: CEPAL, OSILAC

Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5

Brazil 2005

Uruguay 2005

Costa Rica 2005

Bolivia 2005

Ecuador 2005

El Salvador 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Brazil 2005 Chile 2006 Uruguay 2005 Mexico 2007Costa Rica 2005 Panama 2007 Bolivia 2005 Honduras 2007Ecuador 2005 Paraguay 2005 El Salvador 2006 Nicaragua 2006

Households with computer access by geographical zone (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Chile 2

006

Costa

Rica 20

05

Mexico

2007

Ecua

dor 2

005

Pana

ma 200

7

Braz

il 200

5

Colombia

2005

Boliv

ia 20

05

Guatem

ala 20

06

Hondu

ras 20

07

Domini

can R

epub

lic 20

05

El Sa

lvado

r 200

6

Parag

uay 2

006

Nicarag

ua 20

06

Urban Rural Difference

Source: CEPAL, OSILAC

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Geographical digital divide

Households with mobile phone access by country and geographical zone (%)

Households with fixed telephone line by country and geographical zone (%)

Source: CEPAL, OSILAC Information System, official web site http: www.cepal.org/SocInfo/OSILAC. Data based on household surveys of the countries. Most recent available year. The data from Spain originates from the National Statistical Office of Spain (INE).In the case of Spain the urban category represents municipalities with more than 100.000 inhabitants and provinces’ capitals, and the rural category represents the average of the remaining municipalities

0 20 40 60 80 100

Spain 2007

Chile 2006

Panama 2007

Nicaragua 2006

Ecuador 2005

Honduras 2007

Mexico 2007

Brazil 2005

Costa Rica 2005

Paraguay 2005

Bolivia 2005

Dominican Republic 2005

El Salvador 2006

Rural Urban

0 20 40 60 80 100

Spain 2007

Costa Rica 2005

Mexico 2007

Honduras 2007

Brazil 2005

El Salvador 2006

Chile 2006

Panama 2007

Ecuador 2005

Dominican Republic 2005

Nicaragua 2006

Paraguay 2005

Bolivia 2005

Rural Urban

Source: CEPAL, OSILAC Information System, official web site http: www.cepal.org/SocInfo/OSILAC. Data based on household surveys of the countries. Most recent available year. The data from Spain and Portugal originates from Eurostat’s web site.

Diffusion of the digital paradigm: Collective access to advanced services

% Internet usage by location(In percentages of total number of users by country)

- 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Spain 2007

Portugal 2007

Uruguay 2006

Brazil 2005

Chile 2006

Mexico 2007

Costa Rica 2005

Panama 2007

El Salvador 2006

Dominican Republic 2005

Paraguay 2005

Honduras 2007

Nicaragua 2006

Internet usage at home

Internet usage in educationalestablishments

Internet usage in commercialor communal access places

13

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

Fixed telephone line Mobile cellular phone Internet Broadband

Latin AmericaEU15

Access: Access: thethe external digital divideexternal digital divide

Percentage of in 2007

Source: CEPAL, OSILAC based on the ITU “World Telecommunications Indicators Database”, 2007

The divide of access to the most advanced ICT is bigger

IV. Challenges and final reflectionsIV. Challenges and final reflections

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• There has been great progress in the region, but much remains to be done

• It is important to keep on discussing the importance of harmonized indicators for the development of public policies and national strategies

• It is necessary to elaborate new ICT indicators (impact, e-government, e-health etc) that allow the monitoring of initiatives like the Plan of Action eLAC2010

• Resources are scarce and financing ICT surveys is not always possible

• Seeking synergies and coordination among and between institutions is the only efficient way to work towards achieving common goals

Mariana Balboniwww.cepal.org/socInfo

Thanks for your attention