Telefonica del Sur (Telsur), owned by Grupo GTD, and Chile's telecommunications regulator Subtel have activated fiber network infrastructure in the town of Raul Marin Balmaceda in the southern Aysen region. This initiative is part of the "Fiber Optics in Border Complexes" project, which was awarded to Telsur for around CLP 4 billion in February 2022.
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Significance for Local Communities
It aims to provide open-access telecommunications infrastructure to four border areas in the regions of Los Rios, Los Lagos, Aysen, and Magallanes, and their surroundings, Telsur announced on LinkedIn.
"This fiber optic network represents a significant improvement in the quality of life for the inhabitants of Raul Marin Balmaceda. Today we are laying the foundations to bring connectivity to the most isolated localities in the country, contributing to the reduction of the digital divide. Telecommunications change people's lives; they open up a whole universe of knowledge and opportunities for them," said the Undersecretary of Telecommunications.
Telsur indicated, "We are very proud to have concluded this project, which brings connectivity closer to people in extreme areas and improves their lives through technology."
Completion and Future Plans
According to Subtel, the Digital Homes project represents a substantial advance in connectivity for the Aysen region. Through this project, funded by the Telecommunications Development Fund, the communes of Lago Verde and Las Guaitecas are connected, and the commune of O'Higgins is also added through a project financed by the regional government and its council.
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Currently, Villa O'Higgins and Lago Verde are the last communes in mainland Chile without fiber optic services. However, initiatives announced in 2023 will bring connectivity to these areas by 2026, ensuring all mainland communes have fiber optic networks, Subtel said.
