The city of Potosi in Bolivia is to receive a Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) connection deployed by broadband access solutions provider Iskratel.
Working in collaboration with its Latin American partner Teleserv Group Bolivia, Iskratel is implementing the new, high-speed optical broadband network for Potosí service provider Cotap Ltda. The deployment will serve thousands of Potosí’s residents and is complemented by Iskratel’s Virtual IMS and unified communications solutions.
“In Potosí, a city with such fascinating history, life has never been easy. The deployment of an optical broadband network not only delivers new connectivity to our residents and businesses, but also opens up an array of business opportunities that for the city and its people have not previously been possible,” said Juan Francisco Flores, Legal representative of Cotap Ltda.
Potosí, which is a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, is the world’s highest city at 4,090 metres above sea level, resting at the foot of Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain). The city was once one of the richest in the world, because of the amount of silver coming from Cerro Rico with Potosí becoming one of the most important coin producers in the world, supplying many countries under the motto ‘Worth a Potosí’.
“Bringing fibre connectivity to the people of Potosí, the highest city in the world, fills us with profound pride. We were able to achieve this together with the support and help from our partners and friends at Cotap and Teleserv,” said Svjetlana Kalaba, Director of the Broadband Business Unit at Iskratel. “We’re truly taking reliable and ultra-fast connectivity to the summit.”
Slovenia’s Iskratel is a provider of software defined access networks, supporting customers in more than 50 countries worldwide. In 2019 it had 900 employees and generated sales of EUR115 million. In July 2020 it was acquired by S&T AG, an Austrian technology group that employs 4,900 and operates in 32 countries.