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Chilean operators have enthusiastically embraced digital 2G services like the wireless application protocol (WAP) or Short Message Service (SMS). With a difference of hours, SmartCom and then Entel PCS launched their first mobile Internet service in November 2000. While there were some 21 WAP-portals in the country by the end of 2000, the number had doubled to 44 in the three months to April 2001. Yet, as of mid-2001 there were a very limited number of transactions that could be carried out through WAP based service.mainly some banking transactions and cell-phone reloading.
The Chilean e-government and Internet promoting initiatives reached a best practice character in many fields. The Internal Tax Service in cooperation with ENTEL PCS, for example, have set a WAP-site that enables mobile users to access tax information from their mobile phone. The Subsecretary of Telecommunication (Subtel) has also created its own WAP-site through which it provides mobile access to visitors of Subtel in the Internet.
In April 2001 the Subsecretary of Telecommunications, Christian Nicolai, announced that Subtel was planning to have all details of 3G licensing defined by the end of the year. To achieve this goal the Comité Consultivo de Telecomunicaciones (CCT) created the 3G 01 Task Force(Grupo de Trabajo 3G 01 (GT3G01)). Representatives of fourteen institutions including operators, technology and equipment providers are cooperating with Subtel to define a policy framework for 3G services.