ICT Access and Use in Peru and Colombia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Big Picture

Abstract

This document, which is a research effort carried out in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeks to provide information on the situation of ICT use in Peru and Colombia, make the main challenges visible, and provide elements for the discussion of public policies. The basis for this study is information gathered through a telephone survey specialized in ICT issues carried out in December 2020 in Peru and Colombia with a sample of 1000 observations in each country. The analysis also takes into account differences between different social groups, such as those resulting from gender, age group and socioeconomic level. The first section provides information on device ownership, Internet connectivity and use, while the second section illustrates awareness of government support provided by COVID-19. It then reports on changes in internet use and barriers to ICT use, as well as the population’s attitudes toward the Internet. The document closes with an assessment of these results.