Bolivian mobile network operator Entel Movil, a subsidiary of fixed-line incumbent Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Entel), launched LTE services using the 700 MHz spectrum band.
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The carrier, which has been testing LTE in the country’s capital of La Paz, launched LTE services in the cities of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. On Dec. 16, the company posted on its Facebook fan page that it was starting to provide modems for the LTE service.
According to its website, Entel Movil’s “4G-LTE 700” plan costs $101 per month and allows a maximum transfer speed of 40 megabits per second. To access the service, customers must purchase the Bandluxe LTE modem C-506, which costs $195.
Carlos Reyes, Entel’s vice chairman, told Convergencia Latina that the LTE launch will not stop the company from continuing its HSPA+ expansion to meet demand in places such as capital cities and business centers.
By the end of this year, Reyes believes that Entel will have 150,000 connections. He explained that LTE is meant to augment the experience of customers who already have HSPA+.
