Americas: LatAm leads innovation

Digital interconnectivity

Mega interconnectivity projects in LatAm are creating the digital infrastructure of the future.  Grupo Gtd, a Chilean telecommunications company, is installing a 3,500km-long submarine fibre optic network from the north to the south of Chile. The new digital connectivity will allow further investment to exploit the country as a gateway to Colombia and Peru, allowing tech companies to expand their operations in the country. In April 2019, Google completed a 10,000km subsea cable connecting California to Chile.  

On the other side of the continent, Brazil is working on the innovative 9,300km EllaLink subsea cable system aiming to link Brazil with Portugal and Spain. In May 2018, equity fund Marguerite joined the project as a financial sponsor. The project constitutes the first transatlantic system connecting Europe and Latin America without having to go through the US.  

In July 2019, Chile also advanced on its plans to develop a 24,000km fibre-optic cable to connect South America with Asia Pacific – Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador have expressed interests to participate, after a USD 3m feasibility study agreement with the Development Bank of Latin America.