Paper short abstract:

This paper attempts to explore the link between income inequality and internet inequality at a household level within metropolitan areas. In particular, it uses a mixed-methods approach on two South American cases: Santiago (Chile) and Medellín (Colombia).

Paper long abstract:

This paper attempts to explore the link between income inequality and internet inequality at a household level within metropolitan areas. In particular, it uses a mixed-methods approach on two South American cases: Santiago (Chile) and Medellín (Colombia). A metropolitan-level quantitative analysis is included based on existent household surveys. A qualitative analysis is presented based on semi-structured interviews that focus on key actors that play a role in the supply-side, including government, service providers, workers from telecom companies, and leaders from selected neighbourhoods. One of the key aspects of the compared analysis between these two cities, is the contrast between an entirely privatised and globalised telecom sector in Santiago, and a virtual monopoly on the provision of internet by a regional state-owned enterprise in Medellín. The mixed methods approach aims to characterise and compare the internet gap in these two metropolitan areas, and to understand similarities and differences in decision-making that could come from contrasting institutional arrangements (i.e. ownership and competition among providers).