Wireless hopes for universal service in developing countries: an assessment in the Mexican context Jose ´ Luis Go ´ mez-Barroso and Arturo Robles-Rovalo Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to assess the role that different wireless solutions could have in the universalisation of access to telecommunication services in emerging countries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a techno-economic model aimed at estimating the cost of deploying and maintaining a wireless network (a 3G network and a CDMA 450 network) capable of providing broadband access. The calculations have been carried out for Mexico, since its socio-demographic disparities represent well the general scenarios of developing economies. Findings – Wireless technologies are the safest commitment to move forward to universal access in developing countries. The results of this study suggest that provision of broadband in moderately populated zones (suburban and semirural areas) through the deployment of a wireless network could be profitable for those operators willing to invest. Alternatively, these technologies would also be the most efficient option for those governments, which decide to finance the deployment of infrastructures in those regions, which at least in the short term, will not be served by the market. Originality/value – The paper stimulates the discussion about the role wireless solutions could have in achieving service universalisation in emerging countries. The results may be useful, especially for policy makers, when designing strategies to extend a wireless broadband network access. Keywords Wireless, Communications, Emerging markets, Developing countries, South America, Mexico Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction Wireless communications are revolutionising network expansion, especially in developing countries. Even so, wireless communications are not, as is sometimes suggested with every new development that hits the market, the panacea that will immediately resolve the backwardness of the poorest countries or regions. Despite their deployment costs being significantly lower than those of fixed communications, it is clear that there must exist sufficient demand to make investment profitable. This is the main objective of this paper: to assess the actual potential of wireless communications for extending access to services in developing countries. In order to give them consistency, the calculations have been made for a real case: Mexico. Given its socio-demographic disparities, Mexico seems to represent an adequate case study. The model assesses the costs resulting from deploying and maintaining a 3G network and a CDMA 450 network, both of them capable of providing data access, although the transmission throughputs considered cannot strictly be considered broadband. Before reaching this part of the paper, there are two previous sections. Section 2 describes efforts to extend infrastructures in Latin America. Section 3 describes the current situation and the role of mobile communications in this scenario. Following the presentation of the model in section 4, the conclusions close the paper. DOI 10.1108/14636690810904733 VOL. 10 NO. 5/6 2008, pp. 83-91, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1463-6697 j info j PAGE 83 Jose ´ Luis Go ´ mez-Barroso is Associate Professor, based at the Universidad Nacional de Educacio ´n a Distancia (UNED), Madrid Spain. Arturo Robeles-Rovalo is a PhD Student at the Universidad Polite ´cnica de Madrid and is a research fellow in the Information and Communication Technologies Group (GTIC) at the ETSI de Telecomunicacio ´n, Universidad Polite ´cnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.