Internet for Rural Paraguay

One hundred institutions in rural areas of Paraguay with access to the internet. Poor indigenous communities experiencing contact with the world beyond their local surroundings for the first time ever. These are just a few snapshots of the outcomes achieved by Oportunet, a project launched in 2007 in Paraguay that has demonstrated the potential of the internet as a door to economic and social development in the poorest communities.

Paraguay is the country with the most expensive internet service and lowest internet penetration rates in the Latin American region. Only 7.8% of Paraguayans have an internet connection in their home.

The cost of an internet connection for a Paraguayan family is even higher when viewed relative to the minimum wage in the country. Copaco, a state-owned company, offers unlimited internet access at a speed of 256 kbps for USD 35 a month – which represents 13% of the minimum monthly salary in Paraguay. The situation is very different in developed countries, with high rates of penetration of information and communications technologies (ICTs). In Canada, for example, the cost of an internet connection twice as fast represents around 5% of the average minimum monthly salary.
More on the APC website