Background and Relevance
At the 2025 Convergence Show MX, one of the most significant forums for the TIC (Information and Communication Technologies) industry in the Americas, the Latino American Telecommunications Alliance (ALT+) was officially presented.
The ALT+ initiative aims to unite the interests of independent and regional telecommunications operators in Latin America. This alliance comprises associations, cooperatives, and independent service providers for internet, television, fixed, and mobile telephony.
Key figures involved in the launch include Ariel Fernández (CATEL-Argentina), Salomón Padilla (ATIM-Mexico), Miguel Factor (COLSECOR-Argentina), Rocío Villanueva (AMOMVAC-Mexico), Javier Tamayo (WISPMX), Olinto Santa’Ana (ABRATUAL-Brazil), and José Otero, the first executive director of ALT+.
Mission and Goals
The ALT+ seeks to provide a regional voice for independent operators, advocating for inclusive public policies, defending technological neutrality, promoting network deployment in underserved areas, and ensuring fair competition against large sector conglomerates.
Key Spokespersons’ Statements
- Ariel Fernández (CATEL-Argentina): “ALT+ is a necessary integration tool to claim the space we deserve, to finish connecting the region, and to highlight our work more forcefully. In today’s world and new TIC models, scale is a central factor; the synergy we can achieve together will make us protagonists, especially for those who need us the most.”
- Salomón Padilla (ATIM-Mexico): “ALT+ was born to give visibility and representation to those who support the networks where no one else wanted to invest. It will help us work with all regulators towards an idea that governments see regional and local operators as the solution for coverage of services.”
- José Otero (ALT+ Executive Director): “The main message ALT+ wants to communicate is our presence in remote, sparsely populated areas with low population density and lower purchasing power. Where informality is daily life, but where small local entrepreneurs provide telecommunications services, understanding logistics and local needs to solve problems.”
Focus Areas and Impact
ALT+ aims to be a key interlocutor in digital transformation, spectrum, infrastructure deployment, and universal access discussions. It also promotes cooperation among similar actors across various Latin American countries.
Urgent Need for Regulatory and Governmental Attention
During the event, spokespersons emphasized the urgent need for regulatory bodies and national governments to listen to and consider the experiences of operators who have successfully brought connectivity to historically neglected rural, peripheral, and marginalized communities.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Latino American Telecommunications Alliance (ALT+)? ALT+ is a collaborative platform integrating associations, cooperatives, and independent service providers for internet, television, fixed, and mobile telephony in Latin America.
- What are ALT+’s primary goals? ALT+ aims to provide a regional voice for independent operators, advocate for inclusive public policies, defend technological neutrality, promote network deployment in underserved areas, and ensure fair competition.
- Who are the key figures involved in ALT+? Key figures include Ariel Fernández (CATEL-Argentina), Salomón Padilla (ATIM-Mexico), Miguel Factor (COLSECOR-Argentina), Rocío Villanueva (AMOMVAC-Mexico), Javier Tamayo (WISPMX), Olinto Santa’Ana (ABRATUAL-Brazil), and José Otero, the first executive director of ALT+.
- Why is ALT+ important? ALT+ is crucial for independent and regional telecommunications operators in Latin America to have a stronger voice in shaping policies and ensuring fair competition against large sector conglomerates.
