The Latin American Telecommunications Alliance (ALT+) and the Puerto Rico chapter of Internet Society signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday to promote a more open, secure and accessible Internet in Puerto Rico and Latin America. The agreement provides for educational programs, training, research, technical meetings and initiatives on connectivity, digital inclusion and network resilience. José F. Otero, Executive Director of ALT+, said the alliance turns shared goals into a concrete work agenda, adding that Puerto Rico has valuable experience in resilience, connectivity and emergency response that it can contribute to Latin America.
The organizations aim to encourage participation by local and community operators, particularly in underserved communities, and to foster the exchange of experiences and best practices between Puerto Rico and other Latin American markets. Norberto Cruz, president of Internet Society Puerto Rico, said the alliance will combine local experience with a Latin American perspective and expand educational efforts on the future of connectivity.
Areas of collaboration include public policy, Internet governance, network security and narrowing the digital divide. The agreement seeks to ensure that expanding connectivity goes beyond increasing the number of connections and contributes to the economic, educational and social development of communities.