The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) announced efforts to deploy free Wifi service to 26 municipalities in southwestern and Haitian border provinces. The effort has the backing of the town municipalities, the Federation of Municipalities (Fedomu) and the Dominican Municipal League (LMD). The “Improving Connectivity for Digital Transformation Project” will bring connectivity to districts that do not have Internet access. The Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) is providing US$80 million in funding for the initiative. Training in how to use the Internet is also included in the program.
A first phase of the program will bring the service to the municipalities of Guayabal, Tabara Arriba, Las Yayas de Viajama, Pueblo Viejo, in Azua; Los Ríos, in Baoruco; Las Salinas, Jaquimeyes, Polo, La Ciénaga, Fundación, in Barahona; Restauración and El Pino, in Dajabón; Bánica, Pedro Santana, El Llano, Hondo Valle and Juan Santiago, in Elías Piña; La Descubierta, Postrer Río, Mella, Cristóbal, in Independencia; Oviedo, in Pedernales; Los Cacaos, in San Cristóbal; Rancho Arriba, in San José de Ocoa; Vallejuelo and Bohechio, in San Juan de la Maguana.
The telecommunications regulatory body requested the commitment of the mayors to process the requests in an agile manner and to relinquish the collecting of taxes for the deployment of connectivity.
The announcement was made by Nelson Arroyo, president of the board of directors of Indotel. He was accompanied by Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the executive director of Indotel, Julissa Cruz; the presidents of Fedomu and LMD, Kelvin Cruz and Víctor D’ Aza, respectively.
The presentation of the project was made by Jorge Roques, director of the Execution Unit of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The president of Indotel’s Board of Directors, Nelson Arroyo, highlighted the importance of connectivity today and said that this project will improve the lives of Dominicans in these communities.
“During the pandemic we all experienced how imperative connectivity is. We have chosen 26 municipalities that lack fixed connectivity. Nowadays, connectivity is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” said the head of the telecommunications regulatory body.
Arroyo recalled that President Luis Abinader, By Decree 539-20, dated 7 October 2020, had declared of high national interest the essential right of universal access to last generation broadband Internet and the productive use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).
During the ceremony held in the Green Room of the Presidential Palace, the mayors pledged their support to the project that is targeted to benefit more than 250,000 homes in the selected districts.
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Indotel
7 February 2022