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¿Cómo ha evolucionado el servicio universal en telecomunicaciones en América Latina?
El pasado 18 de marzo, nuestra docente Roxana Barrantes publicó el artículo titulado “Universal service and structural reforms in Latin America: What have we learned and where are we going?” en la revista Telecommunications Policy (Q1 en Scopus).
En este documento se analizan cinco décadas de evolución de las políticas de servicio universal, mostrando que este enfoque se adapta continuamente a los cambios tecnológicos y a las capacidades institucionales. A partir de evidencia en once países de América Latina y el Caribe, se identifican tres cambios: el paso de la telefonía rural a la banda ancha, el fortalecimiento de los marcos institucionales y el avance hacia una inclusión digital más integral.
Abstract
This article examines five decades of the evolution of universal telecommunications service policy, analyzing its theoretical foundations in developed countries and its empirical adaptation across eleven Latin American and Caribbean nations. The analysis reveals universal service as a dynamic policy framework that continuously adapts to technological change and institutional capacities, rather than as a static concept.
The theoretical review highlights fundamental tensions between European "public service" traditions that emphasize rights-based access through cross-subsidies and Anglo-Saxon "universal service" models that prioritize market-based affordability. LAC countries navigated between these paradigms during the 1990s liberalization, adopting institutional arrangements that reflect local political economies rather than imported models.
Empirical evidence confirms three critical transitions: from rural telephony to broadband infrastructure as a priority; from fragmented governance to robust institutional frameworks with participatory mechanisms; and from infrastructure provision to integrated digital inclusion that incorporates literacy, devices, and capacity development. The article reinterprets universal service funds as credibility mechanisms that signal government commitment not to expropriate private investments in weak institutional contexts, explaining their near-universal adoption during privatizations despite design variations.
Contemporary arrangements exhibit remarkable heterogeneity: some countries modernized existing funds by diversifying financing instruments; others dissolved traditional funds, redistributing responsibilities; and alternative models emerged that dispensed with formal funds entirely. These divergent paths show that no single optimal arrangement exists; effectiveness depends on alignment with institutional architecture, regulatory capacity, and political economy dynamics.
🔗 Más información sobre el artículo, aquí.