Honduran state telco advances with fiber optics and Starlink alliance

Honduran state telco Hondutel is betting on fiber optics and its alliance with Starlink to recover from the financial crisis that it has been going through for several years.

In September, the company is expected to announce a new digital television, telephony and internet service through fiber optics in the cities of Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and Santa Rosa de Copán.

The company allocated 639mn lempiras (US$25.6mn) for fiber optics, new equipment, datacenters and software solutions, among others.

Hondutel expects to reach 10,000 clients with the fiber optics services, according to comments made by Hondutel's CEO, José Antonio Morales, to local newspaper La Tribuna.

"We are working on a comprehensive rescue plan that has several fronts," Morales said.

Currently, Hondutel's fiber optic network has limited coverage in 31 neighborhoods of capital Tegucigalpa.

At the same time, Hondutel is working on the installation of Starlink antennas to provide connectivity in remote sites, where today there is no cellular coverage.

According to Hondutel's X (former Twitter) social network account, five educational centers in the country already have Starlink antennas installed to provide free internet access.

Hondutel plans to connect "hundreds of schools in remote areas," the company said.

The telco expects to achieve financial stability this year.