Eliminate the key digital divide for greater financial inclusion: Movistar

Despite the advances in the possession of financial products, the digital divide is one of the great obstacles to progress in financial inclusion. In Mexico, 28% of the population does not have internet services, while in rural areas only 50% have access to the service.

Ana Saracho, director of Public Affairs, Regulation and Wholesale of Telefónica Movistar Mexico explained that the digital divide today is one of the challenges to achieve greater financial inclusion in the country. He explained that this must be attacked not only by ensuring accessibility to connectivity, but also by supporting the generation of skills within the communities that allow the generation of money.

“The digital divide is made up of three elements: access, affordability and skills. Connectivity is the responsibility of the operators and agents involved in the market, but it must also be accompanied by the development of skills, the possibility that once you have connectivity you will also have sufficient digital skills to generate money and make use of financial tools. . In the end, this is what will give true economic development,” said Saracho.

Saracho commented that the essential skills to ensure that digitization allows greater financial inclusion are those related to the administration of both personal finances and businesses, as well as the use of financial tools such as point-of-sale terminals, use of digital bank accounts.

“It must be put on the table not only to create affordable plans to obtain a team, but to generate in people the appropriation of the technology. Why do we want to see antennas and equipment if we don’t know what to do with it? The important thing is that communities can participate and take advantage of the devices to innovate and undertake ”, she commented.

In accordance with MovistarIn the area of ​​Latin America, where the telephone service has penetration, there is a connectivity gap for 240 million people, of which 77 million do not have any access to the Internet. Data from the telephone company indicate that if a penetration of 10% in telephone services were achieved only in Mexico, an increase of 1.2% would be obtained in the Gross domestic product (PIB).