Chile’s Entel has pledged to invest more than US$665 million throughout 2022 into its operations across Chile and Peru.
The operator claimed that it would finance the investment via its own resources, according to BN Americas. The Chilean unit will receive the bulk of the investment (US$515m), with around US$150m going to its Peruvian business – US$77m of which will be spent on augmenting its 4G mobile networks and preparing to launch 5G.
In Chile, Entel has confirmed plans to spend US$320 million on improving the quality and reach of its 4G mobile coverage, along with a further US$350 million on deploying 5G across the next three years. General Manager Antonio Büchi noted that Entel has taken “concrete steps in our goal of also leading in 5G”, having already deployed more than half of the sites required under its first year tender obligations.
“This deployment will be faster than that of previous technologies, but even so, it is important to point out that it will be gradual and its development will take several years, due to the works and investments it requires,” said Manuel Araya, Entel’s manager of regulation and corporate affairs.
TeleGeography reports that Entel plans to spend US$106m on expanding its fibre network in Chile this year, with Büchi noting that “together with the leasing of networks to third parties, [this] will allow us to exceed three million homes passed with fibre by the end of 2023.”
