Determinantes del acceso al internet: Evidencia de los hogares del Ecuador

Resumen

This paper investigates the determinants of Internet use in the Ecuadorian households in 2013. Incorporating socioeconomic characteristics within a discrete choice model that makes estimates on the probability of Internet use in the home, based on microdata from the survey ICT use. The main findings suggest that income and level of education of individuals exert the greatest positive influences in Internet usage, as significant gender gaps are evident, with a settlement in rural areas than in urban areas, especially by lack of infrastructure. These results highlight the importance of public intervention to increase access to new technologies while investment in human capital in reducing social gaps in Ecuador.