Transport and Telecommunications Ministry (MTT) and CAF - Latin America's development bank in Chile has launched the auction process for the feasibility studies for the Undersea Cable Integration Project called the "Asia-South America Digital Gateway". Earlier MTT and CAF have entered into a Technical Cooperation Agreement of US$ 3 million to finance the feasibility study.

The study will provide the technical, legal, financial and economic specifications for the construction of an undersea cable between the two continents, thereby enabling digital integration system for the region. The project aims to digitally connect South America with the Asian continent through the deployment of a submarine fiber optic cable. Its potential route covers a distance of approximately 24,000 kilometers and its initial design includes at least two pairs of fiber optics lines, with a transmission capacity that meets current standards for such systems (10-20 Tbps).

Transport and Telecommunications Ministry - through the Telecommunications Undersecretariat (SUBTEL) began the tender process for the demand and feasibility study and its subsequent award. The first digital highway between South America and Asia will improve network reliability and human capital development, increase competition, facilitate conditions for the location of data centers, and meet future demand for services stemming from the fourth industrial revolution and big data, among others.