Mr. Carlos Slim, Co-chairman of the ITU's Broadband Commission participated in the 11th World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WITS) organized by ITU. He stated that "in order to achieve universal access to information technologies, the private sector must invest, innovate and guarantee coverage; the regulating authority should, on its side, demand investment and coverage commitments from operators".
December 4, 2013. Mexico City.
- The private sector must invest, innovate and guarantee coverage in order to achieve universal access to information technologies: Carlos Slim Helú.
During the 11th World Indicators Telecommunications Symposium/ICT (WITS) organized by the International Telecommunications Union in Mexico City, Mr. Carlos Slim, Co-chairman of the ITU’s Broadband Commission stated that “in order to achieve universal access to information technologies, the private sector must invest, innovate and guarantee coverage; while the regulating authority should, on its side, demand investment and coverage commitments from the operators”. He further called for authorities to provide the legal certitude needed to promote economic and business development.
Mr. Slim underlined that today the Internet plays a major role in the provision of access to education, health, culture and entertainment, as well as trade and financial services. Universal access to information technologies must bring about greater efficiency in governmental policies, and more transparency towards the population.
In addition, he underlined that “digital culture increases competitiveness and productivity, making the economy more efficient and fostering greater competition”. One cannot conceive education without technology, since technology allows for universal access to quality education for all. “The government should establish free Internet venues such as digital classrooms in schools open to anyone during weekends; it should launch programs to build public digital libraries in poor areas where the population has no access to these technologies; it should promote the use of digital notebooks and computer loans. Furthermore, governments should provide connectivity in isolated regions by means of satellites”.
Finally, Mr. Slim affirmed “it is important to encourage the participation of several competitors in the telecommunications markets so as to lower the prices of these services”.
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