SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) president  Jose Rafael Vargas, though admitting Internet is still very expensive despite the industry’s advances in the country, said competition will lower its cost.

He said one of the reasons is the 28 percent tax levied on the service, but expects it will be lower with more competition.

The official said the country has almost two million Internet users, going from 8 percent in 2002 to 20 percent today. “The goal is of 40 percent in 15 to 20 months and to reach three million users."

Interviewed by newspaper Diario Libre, Vargas said the country has wireless, cable, and broadband Internet, and now begin underwater cables and optic fiber to take advantage of the power lines. He said there’s an electrical highway of the sector private towards the East, and the CDEEE has another one toward Cibao.

Private sector

He said the country’s advances in telecommunications are because it’s been in the hands of the private sector since1937. 

He listed the first company to operate here, CODETEL, whereas Teleran, Centennial, Tricom and France Telecom (Orange) followed, with Teleran the only one that is no longer in business.

“But now we have One Max, Wind Telecom, and more than 15 small companies giving services such as Local Free, DGT, Skymax. This is a country that has a services network, through more than 20 companies providing more broadband communication and all types of facilities in the area."

In a related topic, Vargas said via Indotel’s rural broadband connectivity project, to provide access for more than half of the country’s 32 provinces in 15 months, the Dominican Republic will be completely communicated. He said CODETEL has already bid on the project and is developing that network.