Bolivia’s Entel and Claro Chile Partner on Bioceanic Route to Boost Regional Connectivity
Bolivia’s Entel and Claro Chile are teaming up to build a bioceanic data route, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to position Bolivia as a key regional data hub, according to BNamericas. The agreement significantly reduces the distance for data transit between Santiago, Chile, and São Paulo, Brazil, by 2,400 kilometers, trimming latency by 12 milliseconds. This positions Bolivia as an integral highway for international data flows in Latin America.
Interconnection Details and Progress
The bioceanic route leverages interconnection points between Entel and Claro Chile, particularly in Arica, Chile, a crucial coastal city in northern Chile. While the agreement’s timing, cost, and technical specifics remain undisclosed, the collaboration integrates transport networks between two major telecom operators, Expanding Bolivia’s international connectivity footprint.
This initiative follows Entel’s agreement with Telecom Italia’s Sparkle in October 2025 for the Pacific-Atlantic fibre route. That partnership enabled Entel to create routes extending from Lurín, Peru, through Bolivia, to São Paulo, with a key point of presence (PoP) established in São Paulo in 2024. The bioceanic route is poised to serve as a complementary data corridor, further solidifying Bolivia’s fiber optic connectivity infrastructure.
Market Context and Competitive Implications
Bolivia’s efforts to expand regional fiber optic connectivity come amidst a broader regional drive to lower latency and improve international data routing. The 2,400-kilometer reduction in the Santiago–São Paulo pathway makes this bioceanic route attractive for cloud providers, data centers, and enterprises needing low-latency, high-reliability infrastructure.
For competitors, including Peruvian and Brazilian operators, the move could intensify pressure to diversify their own routes and reduce dependency on longer, costlier international cables. Meanwhile, Bolivia’s enhanced position as a regional transit hub could attract additional investments in terrestrial fiber and submarine cable extensions.
Why This Matters
This bioceanic route represents a strategic pivot for Bolivia, a traditionally landlocked nation, emphasizing its growing role as a corridor for international data traffic. The 12-ms latency reduction could enable faster connections for sectors such as banking, content distribution, and cloud services. Industry observers suggest the move could further diversify the Latin American fiber optic network, historically reliant on coastal nations.
As Bolivia continues investing in fiber infrastructure and partnerships, key questions around competition, pricing, and regional collaboration remain. Will other operators reduce latency further, or will Bolivia’s bioceanic connectivity set a new standard for the region?
For additional details, visit the original article on Developing Telecoms.
