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 | |
| Company type | Sociedad Anónima |
|---|---|
| BCS:ENTEL | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1964; 61 years ago (1964) |
| Headquarters | Santiago,Chile |
Areas served |
|
Key people | Juan Hurtado Vicuña,(Chairman) Richard Büchi Buc,(CEO) |
| Products | |
| Revenue |  US$ 2.9 billion(2012) |
 US$ 348.6 million(2012) | |
Number of employees | 4,505 |
| Website | www.entel.cl |
Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A. (doing business asEntel-Chile S.A.)[1] is the largestChileantelecommunications company. The company is known for the 127 meters (417 ft) highTorre Entel (Entel Tower) that rises above centralSantiago and constitutes one of the city's landmarks.
As of December 2013 Entel PCS had 38.8% of the Chilean mobile market.[2] It was the first American operator to launch aGSM mobile network in 1997. In 2000, the Entel PCS network offered support forGPRS and in 2003 it addedEDGE support.
Entel was started in 1964 by the Chilean government at the time to improvelong distance, improvetelecommunications quality within the country and build anetworktrunk to replace the old infrastructure badly damaged by anearthquake. Entel installedmicrowave networks in almost the entire national territory and built in 1968 a satellite station in Longovilo 40 miles (64 km) south west of Santiago, aLatin American first.
Entel's activities initially were data transmission and communications service, long distance telecommunications according to the wishes ofCORFO. The company built the National Center for Telecommunications, popularly known asTorre Entel in Santiago, which functions as the central node. After itsprivatization it was licensed to operate domestic services:cell phone,Entel PCS and land line, known asEntel Phone. It also offeredInternet connectivity.
Entel's privatization began in 1986 and was finalized in 1992. The following year, through a series of transactions,Group Chilquinta acquired the 19.99% ownership of the company. In June 1996, the Board of Directors authorized an increase in capital that allowed the entry ofTelecom Italia, which acquired another 19.99%, sharing control with the Group Chilquinta.
During the first half of 1999, the company increased its capital by $215 million. This contribution came fromQuiñenco group. In March 2001,Telecom Italia bought shares of Chilquinta andMatte group, reaching a 54.76% stake.
Entel's stock is a big part of the Chilean stock market. Shares were held by pension funds, which at the end of 2004 comprised 25.6% of the shares of the company. Additionally, international funds and individuals acquired shares.
In 2005, Chilean groupAlmendral S.A. gained control of Entel Group through its Altel Inversiones subsidiary, holding 54.76 percent of the company.
In 2006 Entel sold its entire share inAmericatel Central America SA and their direct and indirect subsidiaries, BVI Holding Isela Inc. under contract Stock Purchase Agreement ("SPA").
In April 2013 Entel started the acquisition process ofNextel del Perú operations valued on US$400 million. The process ended on the second semester of 2013, and was subsequently renamedEntel Perú.
On 22 October 2022, Entel announced that the company will sell its fiber optic assets to ON*NET Fibra for US$358 million. As part of the deal, Entel would continue to offer internet services for residences on ON*NET's fiber optic network.[3]
Entel is a corporation with several subsidiaries:
Media related toEntel Chile at Wikimedia Commons
