Only one bidder for Austral fiber project

Only one company presented a bid this week for one of the four stretches of the 3,000km fiber optic cable project Chile aims to build to connect its southernmost regions.

Much expectation has been created around the project, for which the government is offering a US$100mn subsidy, and which is scheduled to be awarded by January, 2017.

According to a report by Prensa Austral, the company Conexiones y Telefonía Austral Ltda presented a bid for the terrestrial connection in the Magallanes region between Porvenir and Pampa Guanaco, with an accompanying guarantee of 20.6mn pesos (US$31,700) and a request for a subsidy of 2.46bn pesos (US$3.77mn).

The opening of bids came the same day that the Chilean government decided to replace telecoms watchdog head Subtel Pedro Huichalaf with Rodrigo Ramírez.

There were no bidders for the submarine stretches of the cable, which connects Puerto Williams to Punta Arenas, Porvenir, Puerto Natales, Caleta Tortel and Puerto Montt. The other two stretches are terrestrial, connecting Caleta Tortel to Coyhaique and Puerto Montt and Palena.