Bolivian telecom operator Entel has announced an investment of US$1.5 million to build the first section of the San Ignacio de Velasco–San Matías underground fiber optic network in the Santa Cruz region.
The initial stage covers approximately 121 kilometers, connecting San Ignacio de Velasco with San Vicente de la Frontera, while the full project will extend to around 310 kilometers once completed.
Designed to strengthen Bolivia’s digital backbone, the new network will enhance data transmission, ensure redundancy, and boost connectivity with Brazil, further reinforcing the bi-oceanic corridor that links the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Earlier this year, Entel signed a partnership with Sparkle to operate an international fiber route spanning Lurín (Peru), Desaguadero–Puerto Quijarro (Bolivia), and São Paulo (Brazil), creating a direct transcontinental connection.
The company also recently completed another underground fiber deployment in Vaca Diez, Beni department, investing about 18 million bolivianos (US$2.5 million). That initiative installed 235 kilometers of fiber lines between Riberalta, Guayamerín, Triángulo, and Sheraton, significantly expanding broadband capacity in northern Bolivia.
