Argentina’s rural internet architect: Interview with Olga Cavalli

• Cavalli was a pioneer in providing free, multidisciplinary internet governance training across Latin America, overcoming regional participation gaps.
• Cavalli highlights Argentina’s rural network expansion and government projects like Red Federal de Fibra Óptica, increasing national internet penetration.

This interview is part of BTW Media’s new series, ‘The History of the Internet,’ which interviews the key engineers and computer scientists who helped build and create the Internet.

Olga Cavalli, one of Latin America’s leading figures in Internet governance, reflects on the early efforts to bring connectivity, education, and policy dialogue to the region. A co-founder of the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG), she has spent more than two decades shaping how Latin American voices are heard in global Internet policy debates.

In this exclusive interview, Cavalli recounts how the first regional initiatives emerged amid limited infrastructure, political challenges, and the need for capacity building across countries. She explains how early collaborations with ICANN, LACNIC, and regional universities helped create a new generation of experts who would go on to influence both national and global decision-making.

Cavalli also discusses her personal journey — from Argentina’s technical community to the international stage — and why inclusivity, multilingualism, and gender diversity remain critical for the Internet’s future. Her story reveals how a regional vision became a global movement for digital development and shared responsibility.

Also read: The ‘father of the internet’: Interview with Vint Cerf

From Mobile Telephony to Internet Governance in Argentina

Olga Cavalli introduces her background as an electrical and electronic engineer with years of experience in mobile telephony, including developing mobile networks in Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, and Spain. She details her transition to internet development in the late 1990s/early 2000s, focusing on rural network expansion in Argentina, and her subsequent role as a technical advisor to Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she prepared documents for the 2003 and 2005 World Summit on the Information Society.

The Birth of South School on Internet Governance: A Regional Initiative

Olga Cavalli discusses the low participation of Latin America in global internet governance meetings 20 years ago and her collaboration with colleagues to create the South School on Internet Governance. She explains the school’s goals: free, multidisciplinary training for professionals across Latin America, with translation services and expert instructors from various regions, and its initial one-week on-site format.

Evolution of Internet Infrastructure in Argentina and Latin America

Olga Cavalli describes the challenges of internet infrastructure development in Argentina and Latin America, including complex geography and high costs. She highlights the role of internet exchange points in reducing user costs and expanding access to rural areas, notes the growth of internet penetration from low levels 20 years ago to a national average of 70% today, and mentions the government’s “Red Federal de Fibra Óptica” project in expanding connectivity.

Key Milestones in Latin American Internet Governance

Olga Cavalli identifies significant milestones in Latin American internet governance, including the regional meeting in Aracaju, Brazil, that shaped the region’s internet agenda, the launch of the Latin American Internet Governance Forum, and the recent approval of the Hanoi Convention on cybercrime by the UN. She emphasizes the importance of global cooperation and consistent regulations for a secure internet.

Challenges and Triumphs of Founding the South School on Internet Governance

Olga Cavalli shares the challenges she faced in establishing the South School on Internet Governance, including difficulties securing funding and moments of uncertainty. She credits her colleagues for their persistence, details the initial support from three organizations, and highlights the school’s success, including receiving awards from the UN, International Telecommunication Union, and World Internet Conference.