El Salvador launches tender for ‘sovereign’ submarine cable project

El Salvador’s government launched a tender to select companies for the development of a “sovereign” submarine cable program.

The call is aimed at local and international companies specialized in the implementation of submarine cables and with proven experience in the planning, execution and management of these systems, according to power and telecoms regulator Siget.

The call is open until August 10 and further information can be accessed here.

Last month, as part of a separate project, Latin American development bank CAF approved a US$145mn loan for what will be El Salvador's first submarine cable.

Announced last December, the high-capacity cable will connect to other countries in the region and is backed by the MCDF, a group of multilaterals focused on development financing.

Previously, Siget’s head Manuel Aguilar said the country had begun studies to have its autonomous internet connection from the port of Acajutla, in Sonsonate municipality.

At present, El Salvador has no international systems landing on its shores and instead relies on ground connections with neighbors or other technologies.