Mobile Internet traffic in Mexico is poised to grow 800% over the next three years, as growing competition among telecom carriers has enabled more people to access the web.

According to the country’s telecommunications and information technology chamber (CANIETI), even fixed line broadband usage is set to grow 200%. Reports say that government programs such as México Conectado could have triggered the increased web usage.

Implemented in 2010, México Conectado extended free Internet access to schools, hospitals, and universities across the country. Today, Mexico has thousands of wi-fi hotspots in public places, such as green parks, public libraries, and village squares.

By 2020, telecom firms in the country are likely to invest US$13.5 million in bolstering their network infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Mario de la Cruz, president of CANIETI, has urged the telecom industry to focus on making networks less vulnerable to cyber attacks. “Information security is one of the industry’s concerns in the face of accelerated growth in broadband demand,” Mario stated in an industry convention recently.

Mexico is one of the few nations in the world with a constitution that formally recognizes the right of its people to a broadband internet connection. Over the past four years, the government has been pressing ahead with a goal to connect 70% of households and 85% of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises to high-speed internet.

With more than 46 million active subscribers, Mexico is the second largest mobile market in Latin America, according to GSMA. Even the World Economic Forum has praised Mexico for its efforts to extend internet access to more people, but it has suggested reforming the legal system to make sure that telecom disputes are settled quickly.