The Universidad de Chile, representing NIC Chile and the foundation País Digital, signed a collaborative technological agreement that promotes the work they have been doing towards bridging the gap of connectivity and digital skills and innovative technology.

This agreement was endorsed June 22 at the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Mathematics (FCFM) of the Universidad de Chile. The ceremony featured the participation by the acting dean, Marcela Munizaga and the general manager of País Digital, Fernando Sánchez, accompanied by the director of NIC Chile, professor Patricio Poblete in addition to the director of Yafún research on the digital connectivity, Marcelo Valenzuela.

País Digital and the Yafún project of the Universidad de Chile initiated a joint work effort in 2022, after having participated in the governmental program “Compromiso País” (Country Commitment), where they lead an initiative to address this digital access gap. One of the results was the identification of 1,800 localities in the national territory that lack Internet access services.

At the ceremony the dean, Marcela Munizaga, highlighted the tremendous commitment by the Universidad de Chile and the FCFM for their contribution to the country's development, hand in hand with the knowledge in science and technology, as has been the exemplary work of NIC Chile in the administration of the registration of .CL domains and which now seeks to strengthen and expand the national Internet.

Fernando Sánchez expressed the determination of País Digital to encourage the development of the country, its economy and digital culture - for which he has a 22-year trajectory, always supported by collaborative work alliances. "This signing is a meeting to continue working for people who are not yet connected," added the manager.

Paìs Digital carries forward the initiative "Connecting Territories" that supports rural and urban communities in the country, improving their connectivity and developing digital skills from the community. In this program, the Yafún project has played a technical role, helping in the design of solutions of Internet access that are being deployed in localities such as Mininco, Caimanes, Nacimiento and Santa Juana. This program has added the collaboration of companies and institutions and is now working with regional governments and the Undersecretary of Telecommunications to achieve rapid progress in other deprived territories.

Professor Patricio Poblete made the point that NIC Chile's involvement with the national digital development has promoted initiatives such as the NIC Labs research laboratory, from where the Yafún project arose, motivated by complications from the 2010 earthquake, which evidenced the vulnerability of the Chilean network, its lack of resilience, speeding up the search for ways to strengthen the national Internet.

For Marcelo Valenzuela, the Yafún research has generated updated knowledge about the existing digital gap in the national territory, which has been essential for the planning and designing of new digital public policies. “We have traveled more than 26,000 kilometers mapping the existing network, participating in many projects, working groups and field visits, collaborating with the most deprived municipalities and alliances such as the one that is now being formalized with País Digital, promoting a change in people's lives”. This details the positive impact that the connectivity projects that have already materialized in remote sectors such as Isla Mocha, the Pampa del Tamarugal and towns in the Bío Bío and Araucanía regions are having.

NIC Chile
Santiago, 28 of June, 2023.

NIC Chile, a center of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile, is in charge of administering the domain name registry of .CL, that identifies Chile in the Internet. In this role, it is responsible before the local and global Internet community for its secure and efficient operation, to allow persons, enterprises and institutions to build their identity on the Internet, under.CL.