Movistar Chile announces a technological renovation plan for copper and 2G cables

Movistar Chile press release

This is an automated translation of the press release issued in Spanish

Barcelona, March 1, 2023.- Within the framework of the Mobile World Congress 2023, Movistar Chile announced a complete technological renewal plan, which it described as a relevant step for the digital development of the country, and which will promote the massification of fiber technologies optics and 5G. This will seek to advance in the removal of copper cables, in the migration towards fiber, also in the progressive advance from 2G to 4G and 5G, and in the shutdown of old technologies supported by copper.

The foregoing is aligned with the environmental objectives of the Telefónica Group to collaborate with climate change and reduce the carbon footprint worldwide.

From copper to fiber optics

As explained by Fernando Saiz, Director of Public Affairs of Movistar Chile: "one of the company's objectives for 2023 is to begin the removal of all the copper that we have deployed since 1880, the year in which the then Chilean Edison Telephone Company began to operate. . Thus, we hope in 2024 to transform Movistar into a full fiber optic company. In turn, we have challenged ourselves to retire all copper over the next three to four years.”

The foregoing will allow Movistar to have 100% of its home internet park be fiber optic, giving important advances from the current 95%. Along with this, the company challenges itself to remove the copper in the next four years, which will additionally contribute to visual decontamination, care for the environment and will be a disincentive to organized crime of cable theft.

"The most relevant thing is that this migration will spread the use of fiber optics to the masses, improving the experience of people, homes and companies," said Fernando Saiz.

Evolution from 2G to new technologies

2G will also be one of the technologies that will begin to give way to new mobile trends, such as 4G and 5G. In this case, again this advance that is in Movistar Chile's plans will deliver a better experience to people.

“2G arrived in Chile in the 90s, when telephones went from being analog to digital, and mainly allowed the use of SMS text messages. For this reason, this technological renewal is a natural evolution within telecommunications”, comments Fernando Saiz, Director of Public Affairs of Movistar Chile.

It should be noted that these company plans also have the objective of turning off old copper-based technologies, such as public telephony, which have significantly decreased their use by people.

“We are convinced of the relevance of moving from old technology to the high speed, stability and projection of fiber optics and 5G, which will allow and sustain the various advances that will come in the coming years”, closes Fernando Saiz.