Applications to build new networks were often subject to convoluted approval procedures - Chile and Argentina were the exception. Further new capacity will become available through submarine cables now under construction, network expansion by the utility sector, and terrestrial build by entrants such as Global Crossing. A fall in monopoly tariffs will support economic expansion and Internet growth. The study projects very substantial Dark Fibre build over the next three years, particularly in Brazil. Telehousing is another area of significant growth examined in the study.
Plans exist to build carrier neutral telehouse facilities in Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela.
The study warns that for overseas incumbents in the region, including Telefonica, France Telecom and SBC, new Dark Fibre markets will lead to a significant weakening of the their position. Through linking cross-border Dark Fibre, the study projects players controlling a pan American network will be able to leverage competitive advantages not available to owners of purely national networks. Growth is occurring in Inter-regional telecommunications and Internet traffic, and dependency on US based Internet hosts will gradually decline, a pattern already noted by Tarifica in Europe and Asia.