Amazon rainforest to join 4G LTE lineup
Telecom giant Ericsson is working with Telefonica’s subsidiary in Peru to connect schools, health care centers and other rural parts of the Amazon rainforest to a LTE network.
The two companies tout the project as a first-of-its-kind for Latin America; company officials said in a statement that, despite difficulties presented by geography, the build-out will foster economic growth and increase social inclusion in the remote Peruvian Amazon, which covers more than 300,000 square miles.
Telefonica Peru GM Cesar Linares said the project “is crucial for the development of the country, since it connects rural areas not only with the rest of Peru, but also with the whole world.”
“Connectivity brings innumerable benefits that translate into socioeconomic development, especially in remote and inaccessible areas.”
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Ericsson has a stake in LTE markets in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada, among others.
The manufacturer has sold more than 200 LTE radio access networks and evolved packet core networks worldwide with more than 150 commercially active at present.
Industry analysis firm Arthur D. Little reports that for every 10% point increase in broadband connectivity, a nation’s gross domestic product increases 1%.
Ericsson’s Latin America VP Eduardo Ricotta said: “This effort marks another landmark alliance both companies share in social impact projects and, at the same time, further consolidates the leadership of Ericsson in networks in the region, connecting extremely rural areas with the latest in 4G mobile broadband technology.”