Cotes, Cotap expect fiber link May 25

Bolivian telecom cooperatives Cotes and Cotap expect to complete a fiber optic link between their respective home cities Sucre and Potosí by May 25, local daily Correos del Sur reported. The operators believe the resulting connectivity would reduce domestic long distance rates between the two cities by 50%. Local telecoms law prohibits cooperatives from offering long distance service, but Cotes has a stake in long distance carrier Boliviatel, which could manage the calls as well as waiving extra charges for the cooperatives. There are two commissions working on this proposal that would later negotiate with Boliviatel to use its carrier number.