Without Internet. This is the image that appears on the devices of Chocanos trying to connect.
Photo: Private archive
In Colombia, the connection to Internet It is an essential public service. That is, it is of vital importance for the functioning of society, including for the development of academia, industry, government and banking.
In addition to the fact that a large part of the population continues without access to the internet (about 20% does not have access to the 4G network, and almost half of the population does not have fixed internet), it is added that in recent days everything a department has been offline.
Chocó is offline
That is the call for attention that the governor of Chocó recently made, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, saying that: “the department of Chocó has been without mobile connectivity service and Internet access for five days. In communication with he Ministry of ICT “We have established that it is a massive failure generated by the theft of equipment – some batteries – from the Azteca operator.”
Read also: The government aims to develop the country with the use of artificial intelligence
Azteca Comunicaciones Colombia is part of a business group that has a presence in Mexico, the United States, Central America and South America. In the country, it focuses on data and internet transportation in 900 municipalities.
The failure, which persists and prevents connectivity in the aforementioned department, has not been able to be repaired because, Córdoba points out, there is an economic dispute between Aztec and ATP (Andean Telecommunications Partners, who provide the technological infrastructure for connectivity).
“Every day without service represents million-dollar losses for the productivity and competitiveness of the department. Financial and administrative management are completely collapsed. We fight without tools to move processes forward in the midst of precariousness. This would not be tolerated in any other capital. It hurts to live in an order where the economic interests of some are above the most essential rights and services for the people. The work of the ICT Ministry as the governing body in the sector cannot tolerate the negligence of those who, from the comfort of a monopoly, affect the common good,” says the governor.
According to what was stated by the head of the ICT portfolio, Mauricio Lizcanohis office is not only aware of the situation, but is working so that it can be resolved “as soon as possible”, in addition to starting the pertinent investigations.
You may be interested in: All Digital Centers will be ready before the end of the year: MinTIC
Regarding the differences that exist between Azteca and ATP, Lizcano explains that when the first tried to replace the batteries, the second has prevented it by alleging non-compliance with the agreed payments (hence the governor denounces that the interests of an individual today are affecting the rights of the population of an entire department).
To prevent this type of problems from recurring, Lizcano says, progress is being made in the project to extend 280 kilometers of fiber optics to expand the network in Chocó.
It is expected that through a shock plan established by the Mintic, connectivity can be recovered in the next few hours, as the antennas are enabled.
“We look forward to the presence of Minister Mauricio Lizcano to consolidate a technical table with sector technicians, providers and operators this coming Monday in Quibdó. This administration also considers essential the presence of the chamber of commerce, representation of consumers and the department’s ISPs. We must build a clear action plan, with dates, investments and interventions, to respond to the Chocó people in the face of this serious situation,” the governor concluded.
