As part of the “We Care Bolivia” campaign, and with the support of the Vice Ministry of Telecommunications and ATT industry regulator, mobile operators Entel, Nuevatel Viva and Tigo committed to a joint work agenda for online safety for children, personal data protection and use of mobile communications as a lifesaving tool.
Bolivian mobile operators and the GSMA announced today the launch of the “We Care Bolivia” initiative that seeks to provide tools to protect mobile users and the general population across the country. Entel SA, Nuevatel Viva and Tigo will work together to develop an awareness campaign for mobile users on citizen safety and safe use of mobile services. The initiative has the support of Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Telecommunications and the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (ATT).
This campaign aims to raise awareness among Bolivian consumers about safer mobile experiences and guide them towards those institutions or support channels that can assist and advise the population on public safety issues.
Improving public safety is a major issue in Bolivia. In 2014 alone, two missing persons were reported every day, 7 out of 10 students accepted strangers on their social networks and 100 per cent of people surveyed have received fraudulent messages on their mobile phones(1). Mobile phone theft is also one of the most common crimes in Bolivia. Between 2010 and 2015, national mobile operators reported 781,173 lost or stolen devices, according to the ATT.
Bolivia’s mobile market is growing at a rapid pace with 10.3 million active mobile connections that will reach 13.3 million by 2020 (Source: ATT data – june 2015). Mobile internet connections already surpassed the 5.2 million and is expected to grow to 8.6 million in the same period. Additionally, by 2020 smartphones will reach 8.6 million and 4G will surpass the 2 million connections. “To take full advantage of this growth in mobile communications, Bolivian consumers need to know how to use their mobile devices safely and responsibly”, said Sebastián Cabello, Head of GSMA for Latin America. “Therefore, it is a great sign that mobile operators are working together to raise awareness among users and improve public safety”, he added.
The “We Care Bolivia” awareness campaign regarding citizen safety will include messages to the general population about online child safety, personal data protection and the use of mobile communications as a lifesaving tool. Thanks to the joint efforts of mobile operators in the country, the campaign will be launched in Bolivia via the internet, social networks and mass media.
For this joint action by the Bolivian mobile industry, the efforts of each company in citizen safety and child protection have been coordinated under the national and regional guiding principles of the “We Care” campaign, which has already been launched in 7 Latin American countries. Bolivian mobile operators have been individually working on the following initiatives:
- Entel: Provides interdepartmental location service of public transport vehicles. Also, as they offer their own brand mobile phone, they have enabled the location and remote access functionalities for users whose devices have been lost or stolen.
- Nuevatel Viva: Finances a communication network between the population and the police, as well as between law enforcement and more than 300 free lines. They developed the VIVO SEGURO app, which automatically identifies the location of the nearest module or police checkpoint and its corresponding free line, with an emergency button that allows the user to call the police.
- Tigo: Produces free birth certificates through mobile internet booths. They also work to humanise technology, through digital classrooms on developing motor skills amongst disabled children, and have launched a campaign against cyberbullying at www.convivenciasinviolencia.org.bo to protect children.
Juan Pablo Calvo, VIVA´s General Manager, said that “VIVA has a clear commitment to social issues that often go together with technology, such as citizen safety and the responsible use of social networks. This is evidenced by several initiatives we have developed through our VIVA Foundation. We are convinced of the importance that all Bolivians can live in a safe and secure environment, enjoying the benefits of mobile technology. This can be a valuable tool to fight against security issues, crime, violence, human smuggling and pornography, among others, using mobile technology to support security. In this context, we are very happy to join the GSMA ‘We Care’ campaign with mobile operators in Bolivia, where we have joined forces with a number of industry players to allow Bolivians to have a safer mobile experience and a safer life in general.”
Tigo Bolivia General Manager, Pablo Guardia Vázquez, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to a safer digital lifestyle and supports the ‘We Care Bolivia” campaign, along with the telecommunications sector, relevant government agencies and the GSMA. “Citizen Safety and the responsible and safe use of technology are priorities for our organisation. We are working in a sustained and comprehensive way to provide safer conditions for accessing the digital world and support the need to increase public safety to improve the quality of life of our users and the general population, developing awareness and reducing risks”
Meanwhile, the highest authority of the National Telecommunications Company (Entel), Oscar Coca Antezana, highlighted the continuous work on the basis of the principles and values of the Constitution which include the Well Being. “This Campaign benefits the general population because not only seeks the welfare of mobile users but the development of a global culture that integrates the entire population as change agents, developing public safety as a primary aspect according to the National Development Plan. The constant and fast technological development generates the need to be closer to the user in order to guide them to a ‘Safe and conscious use of technologies’, and we are excited to develop this initiative with the GSMA and its members”, he added.
The GSMA “We Care” campaign was launched by Latin American mobile operators seeking to ensure that all of its users can enjoy the benefits of mobile technology in a safe and secure environment. To achieve this, they have decided to join efforts as an industry and support the initiative in every country in the region through a number of commitments where mobile services can offer solutions to social problems. The “We Care” campaign has been already launched in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico and Nicaragua and will continue to expand throughout the region.