BTW Media interviews Ermanno Pietrosemoli, Latin America’s Digital Pioneer

Breakthrough innovations, long-distance wireless records, and decades of training have transformed connectivity across the LatAm region

CHILE, CHILE, November 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BTW Media has interviewed Chile's internet pioneer Ermanno Pietrosemoli in the latest edition of its History of the Internet interview series. Pietrosemoli, a renowned telecommunications engineering professor from Venezuela’s Universidad de los Andes, has been honored for his extraordinary contributions to the development of Internet infrastructure and digital capacity throughout Latin America. His pioneering work — from groundbreaking wireless experiments to cross-border training initiatives — has had a lasting impact on how the region accesses and uses the Internet.

BTW Media's interview is a fascinating insight into how those early days of the internet in South America and across the Latin America region developed.

Early Innovations That Laid the Foundation for Connectivity
Long before broadband became a global standard, Pietrosemoli was already building solutions for academic communities in remote regions. In the early years of Latin America’s Internet adoption, he established a delay-tolerant network linking Mérida to Caracas using the UUCP protocol. This system enabled essential data transfers at a time when digital communication options were extremely limited. His early work played a pivotal role in expanding the first academic Internet connections in Venezuela.

EsLaRed: A Regional Movement for Internet Training and Collaboration
In 1995, Pietrosemoli co-founded EsLaRed (Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes) — a transformative program dedicated to developing technical talent and facilitating cooperation among Latin American universities, engineers, and research institutions. The first EsLaRed gathering brought together participants from multiple countries, establishing a new era of shared expertise and capacity building.

Over the years, EsLaRed became a cornerstone for training thousands of network engineers and strengthening Latin America’s digital infrastructure. Many of today’s network professionals attribute their foundational knowledge to Pietrosemoli’s curriculum, workshops, and hands-on guidance.

Satellite Connectivity Breakthroughs that Accelerated Regional Internet Speeds
One of Pietrosemoli’s most influential contributions was the deployment of a VSAT satellite station on the roof of his university lab. This direct link to the United States dramatically improved bandwidth, allowing researchers, students, and institutions to access digital resources at speeds far beyond what local modems could provide. The leap in connectivity significantly boosted academic collaboration and set new benchmarks for Internet access in the region.

Record-Breaking Long-Distance Wi-Fi That Connected Communities
Determined to bridge the digital divide in remote regions, Pietrosemoli engineered low-cost, long-distance Wi-Fi networks using modified antennas and accessible hardware. These point-to-point links connected rural hospitals, schools, and communities that had previously been isolated from digital communication.

His wireless experiments achieved global recognition when he set some of the world’s longest Wi-Fi link records — spanning several hundred kilometers. These feats demonstrated how innovative, low-cost engineering could overcome geographical barriers and deliver meaningful connectivity to underserved populations.

Empowering Communities Through Education and Field Projects
Beyond technical achievements, Pietrosemoli is widely celebrated for his devotion to community empowerment. Through EsLaRed and international collaborations, he has led workshops, designed training kits, and supported real-world deployment projects in remote areas. This includes connecting research centers in the Galápagos Islands, enabling improved scientific cooperation across multiple islands.
His efforts have not only expanded Internet access but also created a generation of skilled professionals capable of maintaining and extending digital infrastructure.

Awards, Recognition, and Lasting Global Impact
Pietrosemoli’s career has earned regional and global honors, including major awards for Internet development and his induction into the Internet Hall of Fame as a “Global Connector.” His legacy includes a combination of technological breakthroughs, educational leadership, and a lifelong commitment to digital inclusion.

Today, he continues to champion sustainable, low-cost connectivity solutions. His current work explores technologies such as TV white spaces and community-led broadband systems, ensuring that even the most remote communities can benefit from modern Internet access.

About BTW Media
BTW Media is a digital journalism platform dedicated to documenting the pioneers, technologies, and milestones that shaped today’s Internet. Its “History of the Internet” series highlights influential figures whose work transformed global connectivity.

About Ermanno Pietrosemoli
Ermanno Pietrosemoli is an Italian-born telecommunications engineer and long-time professor at the Universidad de los Andes in Venezuela. As founder and president of EsLaRed, he has trained thousands of engineers, set world records for long-distance wireless communication, and played a key leadership role in expanding Internet access throughout Latin America.

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