Entel (Bolivia)

{{Refimprove|date=April 2014}}

{{short description|Bolivian telecommunications company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Entel S.A.

| logo = Entel-2021.png

| type = Sociedad Anónima

| location_city = La Paz

| location_country = Bolivia

| location = Federico Zuazo 1771

| locations = More than 1000 points

| predecessor =

| successor =

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1965|12|22|df=y}}

| founder = René Barrientos

| defunct =

| fate =

| area_served = Bolivia

| key_people = Edgar Montaño (Minister of Public Works, Services and Housing)
Roque Roy Mendez (chairman)

| industry = Telecommunications

| genre =

| products = Landline telephony, mobile telephony, fixed internet, mobile internet, IP television, IT services

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| aum =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner = Majority stake (97.4671%)
Gruppo TIM (1995-2008)
Ministry of Public Works, Services and Housing (2008-present)

| num_employees =

| parent =

| divisions = Entel Financiera ESPM S.R.L.

| subsid = Datacom S.R.L.
Entel Bolivia S.A.C.

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.entel.bo/}}

| footnotes =

| intl = |

| caption =

}}

Entel S.A. (acronym for Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones) is a major Bolivian state-owned telecommunications company, headquartered in La Paz, Bolivia. {{cite news|url=http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/08-10-09/noticias.php?nota=08_10_09_nego1.php |title=Entel adquirió radiobases de sus $120 millones por invitación |work=La Prensa |location=La Paz - Bolivia |publisher=La Prensa |date=8 October 2009 |language=es |access-date=2010-04-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012034634/http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/08-10-09/noticias.php?nota=08_10_09_nego1.php |archive-date=October 12, 2009 }}{{cite news|author=Omar Pérez Salomón|date=11 August 2008|title=Entel Bolivia: El reverso de las transnacionales|language=es|work=Cuba Socialista. Revista Teórica y Política.|publisher=Cubasocialista.cu|url=http://www.cubasocialista.cu/texto/0001086bolivia.html|url-status=live|access-date=2010-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810114409/http://www.cubasocialista.cu/texto/0001086bolivia.html|archive-date=2011-08-10}}{{Cite web|date=5 June 2011|title=Entel - Historia|url=http://www.entel.bo/institucion.php?mc=208&sk=1&name=Historia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217055730/http://www.entel.bo/institucion.php?mc=208&sk=1&name=Historia|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-12-17|website=Entel.com|language=es}}

Entel was founded on December 22, 1965 by Law Decree N° 7441 as a joint-stock company with official representation in Bolivia. In 1966 it became a decentralized public company, under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Aeronautics.

On November 27, 1995, Telecom Italia was granted 50% of Entel's shares and management of the company. In addition, the Telecommunications Law (Law No. 1632 of July 5, 1995) granted Entel a six-year monopoly on national and international long-distance telephone services. Telecom Italia, on its part, committed to implement an investment plan totaling US$610 million and to meet the expansion and quality goals defined by the law and by the concession contract.

On May 1, 2008, Entel was nationalized by Supreme Decree N° 29544. Bolivia became the owner of 97% of the company's shares through the Ministry of Public Works, Services and Housing; the labor stability of Entel's workers is guaranteed, and as well as the contracts signed with customers and suppliers.{{cite news |url=http://www.elcomercio.com/noticiaEC.asp?id_noticia=217331&id_seccion=5 |title=Bolivia acepta arbitraje por nacionalización de una telefónica |publisher=El Comercio |date=August 27, 2008 |language=es |access-date=2010-04-13 |archive-date=2023-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426135744/https://www.elcomercio.com/noticiaEC.asp?id_noticia=217331&id_seccion=5 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news|date=2008-05-01|title=UPDATE 1-Bolivia announces takeover of Telecom Italia unit |work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entel-bolivia-idUSN0121819820080501|access-date=2020-06-09}} The decree orders the transformation of Entel from a private corporation to a mixed-economy company, disposition not fulfilled to 2021.{{Cite web|title=Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones Sociedad Anónima|url=https://appweb.asfi.gob.bo/Reportes_asp/rmi/tarjeta.asp?tr=2&c=51816&t=2|access-date=2021-04-19|website=ASFI}}{{Cite web|title=Revelan que la "estatal" Entel es una empresa privada|url=https://www.paginasiete.bo/economia/2020/1/14/revelan-que-la-estatal-entel-es-una-empresa-privada-243344.html|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.paginasiete.bo|language=es}}

A milestone was reached in the company's history, due to the launch of the Túpac Katari 1 satellite that would be beneficial for its coverage in Bolivia, in December 2013. This was Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite and will also improve connection speeds in the process.{{Cite web|date=23 December 2013|title=China Launches Bolivia’s First Telecom Satellite|url=https://spacenews.com/38800china-launches-bolivias-first-telecom-satellite/|access-date=2020-06-09|website=SpaceNews.com}}

In September 2017, the company announced that it would enter the Peruvian telecommunications market, and also invest US$60 million in the process.{{Cite web|date=1 September 2017|title=Entel anuncia provisión de servicios en el sur de Perú|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/125286_entel-anuncia-provision-de-servicios-en-el-sur-de-peru|website=El Deber|language=es}}{{Cite web|date=5 September 2017|title=Entel Bolivia to provide fibre services in Peru|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/entel-bolivia-to-provide-fibre-services-in-peru--1210567|access-date=2020-06-09|website=Telecom Paper}}

Entel announced that they were creating a fiber-optic network in May 2019.{{Cite web|date=2019-05-28|title=Bolivia will launch fiber optic network across the Pacific {{!}} Bitfinance|url=https://bitfinance.news/en/bolivia-will-launch-fiber-optic-network-across-the-pacific/|access-date=2020-06-09}}

In September 2019, they successfully tested 5G in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, along with Chinese company Huawei.{{Cite web|date=24 September 2019|title=Entel realiza con éxito primeras pruebas del 5G en Bolivia|url=https://digitalpolicylaw.com/entel-realiza-con-exito-primeras-pruebas-del-5g-en-bolivia/|website=DPLNews|language=es}}

In September 2020, they successfully connected their fiber optic network to the international network.