Internet use up in Venezuela

[Peace Patriot]

Internet Usage Advances in Venezuela

By AVN - 8/27/10

In Venezuela, a nation with a population of about 27 million people, there are currently 9.7 million Internet users and 28.2 million mobile phone lines. In the last year, Venezuelans have also outranked nations worldwide in the use of social networks online, such as Twitter.

According to Venezuela’s Telecommunications commission, CONATEL, a third of the population is actively using Internet and more than 95% have mobile phone lines. Internet service in Venezuela rose by 43.16% this year, reaching over 9.7 users nationwide. Thirty-four out of every 100 Venezuelan citizens are currently using Internet vía DSL, Cable or wireless connections.

CONATEL also reported that during the last year, 326,000 new mobile phone lines have been added for a total of 28.2 million active cell phone connections nationwide. Ninety-five out of every 100 Venezuelans have cellular phones.

Venezuela also ranks third globally in terms of how many Internet users sign on to Twitter, after Indonesia and Brazil. In Venezuela’s case, the number of Twitter users has increased since President Hugo Chavez joined the network in April.

ComScore, a firm measuring Internet traffic, released a report on Twitter’s global penetration as of June 2010. Indonesia was the country with the highest penetration index, with 20.8% of Internet users connected to Twitter, followed by Brazil with 20.5%, and Venezuela at 19%.

(SNIP)

In Venezuela the use of Internet is a matter of national interest. Infocenters, community spaces equipped with computers connected to the Internet where users are allowed to access information technology for free, are one of the achievements of the Venezuelan government.

By March 2010, 668 Infocenters had been created throughout the country, with more planned for the remainder of 2010.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/5596

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ZERO efforts by the government to block internet use, to deny people information and a free exchange of ideas, to censor cites, to sabotage net neutrality, or any other interference with free speech. Quite the contrary, the Chavez government has greatly encouraged and facilitated Venezuelans' plugin to worldwide information sources and accelerated social networking. Even Chavez has joined in, and laid himself wide open to his critics, with a Twitter account that attracted 500,000 followers as of June.