Chile vs. Bolivia
Telecommunications
| Chile | Bolivia | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 2,750,272 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.23 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 652,272 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.71 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 25,051,668 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138.76 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 11,688,830 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102.25 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .cl | .bo |
| Internet users | total: 14,757,868 percent of population: 82.33% (July 2018 est.) | total: 4,955,569 percent of population: 43.83% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Chile's telecom systems are highly competitive and rapidly evolving; mobile penetration rate is among the highest in South America; deployment of 5G networks expected; fixed broadband penetration is high for region, with fast and inexpensive services; government initiatives provide high-capacity connectivity across the country and increase fixed-line broadband penetration; progress with national satellite system; schools received free broadband as part of the `Connectivity for Education 2030' program; submarine cable project to link Chile with New Zealand and Australia; importer of broadcasting equipment from USA (2020) (2020) domestic: number of fixed-line connections have stagnated to 15 per 100 in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching 132 telephones per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations (2019) international: country code - 56; landing points for the Pan-Am, Prat, SAm-1, American Movil-Telxius West Coast Cable, FOS Quellon-Chacabuco, Fibra Optical Austral, SAC and Curie submarine cables providing links to the US, Caribbean and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: with low national GDP and remote landlocked geography, Bolivia's telecom services are historically expensive and neglected resulting in low penetration; fixed telecom market is provided by non-profit cooperatives focused on improvement of services such as broadband and paid TV services; some operators adopted fixed-wireless technologies and fiber-optic capacity; fixed broadband services migrating from DSL to fiber remain expensive and largely unavailable in many areas; historically relied on satellite services or terrestrial links and inaugurated a new cable running via Peru to the Pacific; operator aims to increase coverage through mobile networks for voice and data access, especially to rural areas; space agency plans to boost satellite-based Internet; in 2020, communications towers in Yapacani were destroyed due to pandemic conspiracy fears; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: 6 per 100 fixed-line, mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and teledensity stands at 101 per 100 persons; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities (2019) international: country code - 591; Bolivia has no direct access to submarine cable networks and must therefore connect to the rest of the world either via satellite or through terrestrial links across neighboring countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 3,429,305 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18.99 (2019 est.) | total: 746,872 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6.53 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising revenues and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations | large number of radio and TV stations broadcasting with private media outlets dominating; state-owned and private radio and TV stations generally operating freely, although both pro-government and anti-government groups have attacked media outlets in response to their reporting |
Source: CIA Factbook
