Communications in Uruguay - Internet

Internet

Internet users: 968,000 (2007)

Internet Hosts: 480,593 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (1999)

Country code (Top level domain): UY

In Uruguay, you can access the Internet mainly by using:

• ADSL services, provided by the monopoly state-owned telco company (ANTEL). As of 2012 4Mbit/s/512kbit/s cost about USD60/mo.
• One of the different Wireless ISP (which have a tendency to be more expensive because of high taxation and radio spectrum licenses costs).
• As an option, some shopping malls and other commercial business offer WiFi access at their location.
• Cyber cafes are very common throughout the whole country, and very inexpensive (from about U$S 0.4 an hour).
• 3G mobile internet is offered by all the mobile phone companies with rates of up to 3 Mbit/s. The 3G rates are relatively cheap compared to the world, because of the lack of the country population and also lack of cultural technology immersion.
• Recently (ANTEL) and Claro (Telmex), launched LTE 4G with high speed connections, about 20Mbit/s.
• Dedicado ISP launched WiMax in 2012.
• (ANTEL) is currently installing the "VERA Network", a FTTH network to the whole country. Expected to cover most of Montevideo in 2013. This will have an enormous cultural impact.
• Slower mobile internet service (EDGE and GPRS) is also offered by all mobile phone companies at very low flat rates.

Although most medium- and large size cities have modern cable TV networks, Internet access is not available through them.

Access from Uruguay to the Internet at large is concentrated in few providers, which puts the country in the "significant risk" category for total loss of Internet connectivity in the case of internal or external turmoil. (As of December 2012, the only other South American countries in this situation are Bolivia and Paraguay.)