The largest expanses of Amazonian territory are found in Brazil, Peru and Colombia, home to more than 400 indigenous communities with an estimated population of 6 million people. ¹
Providing better quality internet service to communities in the Amazon River basin is now a reality thanks to “Amazon Fiber,” the first mega project with a deployment of more than 1,600 km of subfluvial fiber optics from Peru.
It was in 2021 that this important process of digital transformation began in the Peruvian Amazon, one of the most isolated regions on the planet where communities have scarce resources, little communication with the outside world and limited access to basic needs such as health and education.
For this reason, Grupo Satelital and Global, service providers in the telecommunications sector, launched the Amazon Fiber initiative, which is divided into two phases. The first, deploying more than 1,000 km of subfluvial optical fiber that connects the city of Iquitos, the Amazonian capital of the Department of Loreto. Until then, it was the only region without access to fiber due to its geographic location in the interior of the Peruvian Amazon.
“We are proud to announce this momentous milestone for Peru and all of Latin America. Amazon Fiber is a great project that will change the lives of Peruvians, Brazilians and Colombians. This plan is already improving the lifestyle of many Iquitos residents and we are sure that we will change the lives of many more people in Leticia, Tabatinga, Santa Rosa and the entire Amazon River.” says Obed Dionisio, CEO of Global.
"We are convinced that this expansion, through subfluvial fiber optics, will create a significant impact on social, economic and educational development. We thank God for the opportunity He gives us to contribute to the well-being of these communities through technology and connectivity."
¹ Source: Amazon Triple Border Action Plan, UN 2020
The second phase included the continuation of the fiber deployment to the Triple Border, Peru – Colombia – Brazil. This was carried out with the support of FYCO, a key ally in the development of connectivity projects in Latin America. There are more than 600 km of subfluvial fiber optics that allow the growth of local economies in the cities of Leticia and Tabatinga.
Sol Ojeda, Country Manager of FYCO, assures that the project is fully aligned with the company's purpose. “Contributing to a project of this magnitude makes us proud as it contributes to our vision of promoting connectivity in Latin America. Our experience, at the level of supplies and logistics processes, allows thousands of people to have access to quality internet, accelerating the economic and social growth of these border cities,” she said.
Image: Arrangement of subfluvial cables
In addition to the subfluvial fiber extension, the Amazon Fiber project includes FTTH network deployments with pre-connected solutions, which allows the integration of Iquitos with the Triple Border and the expansion of the Access Network through dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technologies, and other active fiber equipment considered in this project.
More than 120,000 Home Passes have been built between Iquitos, Leticia and Tabatinga, which represents an important process of digital inclusion for more than 300,000 inhabitants of rural areas characterized by socioeconomic backwardness, establishing technologies aimed at generating well-being, prosperity and development.
For both the Satelital y Global Group and FYCO, connectivity is a basic human right for the progress of all societies. This project represents a milestone in the development of telecommunications with the vision of connecting the most remote areas of Latin America.