Telecenters play a role in training for technology use and digital inclusion in Brazil

The Public Access Centers ICT Survey 2019, by CGI.br, indicates that 55% of these spaces offer courses related to computer use and 50% on Internet usage

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) released today (7/7) the results of the second edition of the Public Access Centers ICT Survey, which mapped the main characteristics of telecenters that received some federal government support to offer free Internet access. The survey shows that telecenters play an important role in training local communities regarding the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Among the telecenters that provided computers with Internet access for the public in the three months preceding the study, 55% offered courses related to computer use, 50% on Internet usage, and 39% professional training courses. Additionally, eight in every ten public access centers have monitors to guide users. In 2019, these environments were mostly used for school research (96%), typing resumes or other documents (75%), using CDs, DVDs, and flash drives (74%), and accessing the Internet via Wi-Fi connection (63%).

“These spaces are essential to bridge the gap in Internet access and electronic devices, especially in areas that still face network usage difficulties in the household context, such as rural areas, and among individuals who lack the resources to be connected,” explains Alexandre Barbosa, manager of Cetic.br.

The survey also indicates that about half of the telecenters operating in the Northeast and Midwest regions offer professional training, while in the South, the percentage drops to 30%. Courses related to Internet use were also more frequent among public access centers in the Northeast (62%) and Midwest (56%) regions, with the proportion being 38% in the North.

Internet Connection

The quality and speed of the connection offered in these environments have advanced compared to the first edition of the survey, conducted in 2013. At the time, it was found that cable connection was offered to only 19% of these telecenters, and the main forms of Internet access were via satellite (53%) and telephone line – DSL (26%). The Public Access Centers ICT 2019 shows that cable connection is now a reality for 70% of these establishments, followed by fiber optic connection (36%) and satellite (23%). Connection speed has also improved. In 2013, the most offered range was up to 1 Mbps (41%). Today, 19% of these spaces have a connection speed above 5 to 10 Mbps and 27% of them, with a connection from 1 to 5 Mbps.

Operational Characteristics

The 2019 data shows that most of the operating telecenters are located in institutions related to education and culture such as schools (31%) or libraries (22%), and 9% in community associations or charitable entities. In smaller proportions, telecenters are also located in cultural centers (6%), in the municipalities' city halls (5%), and in non-governmental organizations (5%). In the North of the country, about seven in ten telecenters were established in schools (69%); in the South, the most cited location was libraries (37%); in the Northeast, 15% of the telecenters were in community associations or charitable entities.

“The benefits of implementing telecenters for promoting digital inclusion can go beyond ensuring network access, also helping to foster the use and appropriation of technologies by the population, promoting the expansion of users' digital skills,” assesses Barbosa.

Generally, telecenters are managed by a public sector entity: 72% of them are managed at the municipal level, with a small portion managed directly by state (7%) and federal governments (6%). Of the total telecenters supported by the federal government, it is estimated that 32% are in the Southeast, 29% in the Northeast, 15% in the South, 14% in the North and 10% in the Midwest of the country.

"Cetic.br, which celebrates 15 years in 2020, plays a significant role in producing statistics on the development of the information society. Through CGI.br's ICT Surveys, we can monitor advancements and support public policies that may be designed to ensure ICT usage has positive effects on society and the economy," complements Maximiliano Martinhão, CGI.br Coordinator.

Data Publication

The new indicators of the Public Access Centers ICT were released in an online event, during which this survey, as well as the ICT Enterprises and ICT Electronic Government 2019, were published. The launch was streamed on NIC.br's YouTube channel and included a debate with experts from various sectors on “Digital Transformation in Brazil.” Watch the event broadcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoGT8UQWOHA) and access the publications at https://cetic.br/pt/publicacoes/indice/pesquisas/.

About the Survey

Conducted between February and June 2019, the Public Access Centers ICT aims to present a national coverage mapping of the Internet access offer and services provided by public access centers in Brazil supported by the federal government, especially the telecenters. The survey was institutionally supported by the Federal Government's Department of Digital Inclusion. A total of 2,839 telecenters across the country were interviewed.

The complete set of survey indicators is available at https://cetic.br/pt/pesquisa/centros-publicos/. 

About Cetic.br

The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society, from NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, providing periodic analyses and information on the network's development in the country. Cetic.br is a Regional Study Center under the auspices of UNESCO. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br/) is a civil, nonprofit entity that, besides implementing the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, is tasked with: coordinating the domain names registration — Registro.br (https://www.registro.br/), studying, responding to, and handling security incidents in Brazil — CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), studying and researching network and operations technologies — Ceptro.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing indicators on information and communication technologies — Cetic.br (https://www.cetic.br/), implementing and operating Internet Exchange Points — IX.br (https://ix.br/), facilitating the Brazilian community's participation in the global development of the Web and supporting the formulation of public policies — Ceweb.br (https://www.ceweb.br), and hosting the W3C office in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/). 

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and dissemination of the offered services. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, praised internationally, where all sectors of society participate equitably in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://www.cgi.br/principios). More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

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