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Chile: Government assesses universal access fund Print E-mail
Thursday, 01 June 2006
The government of Chile might restructure the Fondo de Desarrollo de las Telecomunicaciones (FDT), the country’s universal access fund for telecoms, so that subsidies could be provided to projects expanding internet adoption in lower-income segments, transport and telecoms minister Sergio Espejo said.

The FDT currently has US$ 7.5 million. Since its inception in 1994 the fund was initially used for installation of public telephones in rural areas, and community telecenters. Internet service providers in Chile saying it the government’s latest announcement was among ideas the ISPs presented in their first conversations with Espejo.

The fund is now looking to expand its scope to include not just internet, but broadband access. "Just as in the electricity sector there is a rural electrification program that has allowed almost 95% of Chilean homes to have electricity, we are interested in all homes having broadband," said Pablo Bello, head of Chile's telecommunications regulator Subtel.

Source:Business News Americas - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News