> Create new ways in which people can connect with one another including increased access to financial capital services (mobile banking)(7).

> Increase GDP - a 10% increase in penetration leads to a GDP per capita increase of 1.2% -1.4% (8).

>Increasing carbon footprints in the process of infrastructure deployment and increased energy use.

>Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: Inequalities in the benefits received among men and women due to differences in skills.

Drop-off risk: > Adoption of technologies might be delayed by the lack of skills of the target population.

External risks: > Violence in the area might generate damage to infrastructure projects and delay progress. > Drastic changes in the environment that are not accounted for such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters affecting connectivity infrastructure.

Stakeholder participation risk: > The Government, together with the National Development Plan, must fulfil its digital transformation initiative. > Technology providers (hardware and software) need to provide advice and support for the tools' proper use.

Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: > Challenging gender stereotypes about the use of technology risks unequal access or benefits.

This initiative intends to reduce connectivity inequalities in colombian rural areas, creating new access to markets and education oportunities.

(National Development Plan): Improve internet quality and accelerate digital social inclusion deploying networks to expand connectivity (15).

(The National Plan for Rural Connectivity): aims to deploy the infrastructure to guarantee access to the Internet, and offer conditions for using this service through public access solution (16).

(ICT Plan 2018-2022): will make the internet a tool for equity, through increased connectivity and the productive use of the internet by massifying and improving the quality of internet access (17).

Financial incentives: The government created a $1,4 billion COP fund (Fondo Único de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones - FUTIC) to finance rural connectivity projects until 2022. The government created the Colombia Rural Project with a budget of over COP500,000 million for infrastructure and connectivity.

Other incentives: USAID has facilities destined to improve rural connectivity issues in Colombia.

(Law 1978 of 2019): telecommunications network providers may execute projects for the benefit of the most vulnerable communities that contribute to closing the digital divide (16).

(Orange economy (2018)): The government aims to promote Colombia as a regional and global target market for the development of the orange economy, and to double its contribution to GDP from 3.5% to 7% between 2012 and 2022 (3).

(Modernization law): It aims to accelerate the expansion and upgrade of the network, tighten the regulatory framework and close the digital divide (3).

OhmyFi is a web platform for marketing, communications, loyalty and studies in real-time through free Wi-Fi that allows users to customize, communicate and engage with clients. Lavazza, Microsoft and the Colombian National Coffee Growers Association of Colombia partnered in a digital transformation project to benefit 500k small coffee farmers in Meta region.

NGOs such as Malkaia. Colnodo and USAID are working to improve access in rural areas.

MINTIC: leading policies and initiatives to finance rural connectivity. Department of national planning: assigning significant budget to achieve connectivity goals.