Finally, there is increased investment into infrastructure and telecommunications projects. All of the fundamentals are there and increasingly, individuals are focused on the opportunities. Nevertheless, a Wall Street Journal study that attempted to uncover the extent of the divide between Latin America and the United States revealed that the gap is quite extraordinary and that challenges remain enormous. For example, some 12 percent of Latin Americans have a personal computer in the home, as compared to 70 percent of Americans. In terms of Internet nodes and land lines, Latin America is still very much far behind.
Brazil is more or less like China.
Some 80 percent of Latin Americas have never surfed the web, with a significant percentage having never heard of it. Indeed, challenges exist, but there is a tremendous hunger to learn as illustrated by the many parents who prefer their children to go to work in a career related to computers and the Internet. Many individuals want to buy a PC in the future, with an expected 50 percent of all Latin American homes having a personal computer by 2002. The panelists agreed that certain challenges lie ahead. There are impediments to the development of e-commerce in the region.