Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: With these investments, Chile is looking to make Santiago the technology hub of Latin America.
The Chilean Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications is leading an ambitious plan to bridge the digital gap between the capital, Santiago, and Patagonia in the south. This project involves the construction of an underwater fiber-optic cable between Puerto Montt and Puerto Williams, and three additional overland cables traversing Los Lagos, Aysén, the Magallanes Regions, Punta Arenas and Tierra del Fuego. This project will also increase the potential for valuable scientific research in the southernmost parts of Chile.
Although the tender for the telecommunications infrastructure concessions closed in July, with winning bids to be announced in October, this project paves the way for further development in the region, with the Chilean government looking into the possibility of a trans-Pacific cable to connect China and Chile in the future. After a study conducted by Huawei, the two governments will begin to explore the feasibility of such a fiber-optic cable within the next few months. These developments will offer a plethora of opportunities for companies in the telecommunications industry, and will lead to increased levels of general investment in Santiago, increasing its status as an economic powerhouse in Latin America.