Chile unveils 2026-2036 National Digital Plan for networks and connectivity

The Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel) held the first dialogue meeting to advance the drafting of the 2026-2036 National Digital Plan. Led by Undersecretary Romina Garrido, this initiative is grounded in the Internet as a Public Service Law, which mandates the authority to guide technological development, boost productivity, and integrate connections across the national territory. The plan aims to serve as a roadmap for coordinating these objectives over the next decade.

Key national operators attended the meeting, including Entel, ClaroVTR, Movistar, WOM, Mundo, and GTD. International bodies such as the ITU, IDB, and ECLAC were also present. The meeting opens a series of working tables scheduled for the coming months, where the plan's components will be addressed before consolidating the final document.

The plan is organized around seven policies designed to transform the country's digital infrastructure. Its central pillar is the Future Digital Highways Policy, which proposes preparing infrastructure and spectrum for the development of 5G, 5.5G, and future 6G. The orientation targets higher-capacity networks and ensures connectivity can support new productive uses.

The other pillars address investment and digital development, territorial connectivity, cybersecurity, universal accessibility, service quality, and innovation with specialized talent. Collectively, they broaden the focus beyond basic household access: digitalization and productivity emerge as drivers for the national economy, alongside the need for connectivity to reach diverse regions of the country.

To advance these objectives, the authority announced a regulatory fast track aimed at unlocking investments and streamlining procedures for deploying infrastructure. This measure is presented as a pathway to reduce administrative delays that can hinder the arrival of new technologies, in both remote and urban areas. Its application forms part of the roadmap to facilitate the development of digital networks and services.

The plan projects unlocking US$ 2 billion in investment by 2030 in the telecommunications sector. Over the longer term, it estimates US$ 160 billion in investment by 2050 for data centers and cloud services. These projections support the goal of positioning Chile as a digital hub for Latin America, linking telecommunications expansion with data infrastructure and cloud services.

In parallel with the plan's presentation, Subtel notified an update to the technical regulations for limited telecommunications services. The change expands the available spectrum in the 2.300 MHz band to 2.360 MHz, totaling 60 MHz dedicated to projects using efficient technologies. This modification is directed, among other uses, to meeting the connectivity needs of productive activities.

The measure addresses industry demand for greater bandwidth and lower latency, conditions relevant for operating industrial networks and applications. The regulation conditions the use of the additional 60 MHz on the adoption of more efficient technologies; meanwhile, 4G technology will be limited to a maximum of 40 MHz in that band. Thus, the change combines spectrum expansion with distinct conditions based on the technology employed.

Subtel and OnLab, the innovation lab of the Pontifical Catholic University, signed a two-year agreement to promote 5G and 6G in productive sectors. With support from the Corporation for the Promotion of Production (Corfo), the agreement includes pilots and real use cases in mining, health, logistics, and mobility. The work seeks to bring connectivity technologies to concrete contexts of economic activity and services.

The alliance covers five areas of action, including controlled testing environments, technical advice, and knowledge transfer. The pilots will generate technical evidence to guide public policy decisions and explore how to translate infrastructure into productivity for strategic sectors. The agreement thus connects technological experimentation with potential applications in productive fields, without limiting its scope to network installation.

One of the challenges highlighted in the plan is shutting down 3G to free up spectrum and pave the way for 6G. The disconnection requires considering the transition from existing networks, but no specific calendar or detailed procedure has been established.

The plan also aims to prepare the way for 6G, but it does not specify a date for commercial deployment. The roadmap sets long-range objectives, including preparing infrastructure and spectrum for future 6G networks.