Bolivia’s Entel plans to reach 100% of municipal capitals with FTTH this year

State telco Entel Bolivia plans to bring fiber to the home (FTTH) technology to 100% of municipal capitals this year, including rural communities. 

Bolivia has 340 municipalities, of which 219 have FTTH deployed by Entel. In 2024, the company reached 394 localities with fiber optics.

The investment planned for 2025 was not disclosed. 

Entel has a network of 41,800km of fiber optic cable, including international fiber optics. 

In December, the company said an investment of 18mn bolivianos (US$2.5mn) was underway to install underground fiber optics In Vaca Díez, in Beni province. The project, which includes 100km between Riberalta and Guayanamerín and another 135km between Triángulo and Sheraton, is expected to be completed in February. 

Mobile networks

Entel has invested 150mn bolivianos “to date” to expand coverage of the mobile network and improve the quality and reliability of its telecommunications services, according to a release. 

In December, the company said it was implementing 517 new radio base stations within the framework of the national telecommunications program for social inclusion (Prontis). A total of 103 radio base stations have already been deployed in a previous phase. 

At the end 2024, Entel reached 82.5% of the country's population centers with its mobile telephony and internet services, or more than 20,300 of the 24,000 locations. 

The telco has 6.6mn mobile telephony customers for a 55% market share. 

Revenues

Entel announced record revenues of 4.75bn bolivianos for 2024, up 8% compared to 2023 when it reported revenues of 4.40bn bolivianos.

The 2024 figure is also 52mn bolivianos higher than that reported in 2017, the previous record year for the company.