MEXICO CITY, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The arrival of 5G technology in Mexico will lower the cost of mobile communication and help expand Internet access, digital communication expert Ruben Dario Vazquez Romero said on Tuesday.
Vazquez, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, believes once the 5G network is installed, more than 40 percent of low-income households will be able to access the Internet.
"With the introduction of 5G ...we will have access to many more services, more available data, at a faster speed and better connectivity," Vazquez told Xinhua in an interview.
Mexico has 74.3 million Internet users out of a total population of 126.6 million, according to data released in April by Mexico's National Institute of Geography and Statistics (INEGI).
However, Internet access is largely limited to major cities, with 73 percent of urban residents having access, compared with 40.6 percent for rural residents, according to INEGI.
Mexico is poised to welcome 5G technology, he said, adding that several Latin American countries are already reporting progress in the field with the help of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, which "spearheads the development of this technology."
The expert said 5G, which requires larger bandwidth than the 4G networks now in use, is currently in the experimental stage in Mexico.
Once it is available, "Mexicans will be able to know a new generation of automobiles that can be connected to the Internet, and electronic tablets, computers and smart phones will be faster," said Vazquez.
Converting to 5G won't be too costly since Mexico already has the infrastructure to support the network, he said.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pledged to expand Internet coverage to the remotest communities in Mexico by 2020.
Latin America's second largest economy will become more competitive in technological development once the network is installed, Vazquez said.
