Regulator moves to sustain Peru fiber backbone

Pronatel, a government program to manage Peru’s fiber backbone network (RDNFO), has implemented steps to bolster the network.

RDNFO is handled by Pronatel until a new network model is defined, as the contract with former operator Azteca Comunicaciones was canceled in early July.

The 13,000km backbone links around 180 provinces and interconnects with the 21 regional broadband projects that will connect 7,360 rural localities.

Announcements about the network were expected since the government took office in late July. 

One anticipated decision related to the creation of an expert committee, eventually formed on November 11, to analyze the regulatory framework and make recommendations to allow the use of the fiber network’s and regional networks’ capacity, in addition to assessing economic viability of potential network models.

The second step involved a call for bids for network operation and maintenance to guarantee continuity of operations and the contracts.

Pronatel will conduct a preliminary market study, in which inquiries and contributions to the terms of reference can be made. Companies interested to participate in the tender should express interest via email epom02@mtc.gob.pe.

And finally, Pronatel made use of state network Rednace free. Rednace was planned to use the backbone’s capacity to interconnect education, health, defense, security, culture, research, development and innovation services. But it was never enabled. The move by Pronatel is the first attempt to do so.

“I believe that Peru has the extraordinary opportunity to improve the broadband regime by taking advantage of article 58 of the current constitution, which says that, in activities such as health, education and security – which are prime – if the private sector does not offer them, the state should,” former communications deputy minister Virginia Nakagawa told BNamericas previously.

Regional networks

In early November, Pronatel announced investing 566mn soles (US$140mn) in telecommunications projects between January and October. The investment is 120% higher than the cumulative average of the 10 months of each year from 2017 to 2020.

Most of these resources were used for broadband projects in 15 regions of the country. To date, connectivity tests are being carried out in Tacna and Moquegua, which will be completed during the first quarter of 2022.

Pronatel expects to complete the project in Junín during the second quarter and Puno in the first half next year.

The Lambayeque, Lima and Cusco projects were launched this year.

Networks in Huancavelica, Apurimac, Ayacucho, Amazonas, Puno, Ica, Moquegua, Tacna, Arequipa, Ancash, Huánuco, La Libertad, Pasco and San Martín are already in operation, according to Pronatel.

More projects are being reformulated.