Crystallex gets radio base installed. Sounds to me they are gearing up.

Cantv make a strong investment in Bolivar
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The minister of the Ministry of People's Power for Telecommunication and Information Technology, Socorro Hernandez, announced jointly with the Governor Francisco Rangel Gomez creating a management regional integration in Cantv Guiana

Misael Briceño
Photos RICHARD Vera


The Minister for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Socorro Hernandez, during the meeting she had with the state governor, Francisco Rangel Gomez, announced the creation of a regional integration of management with a view to further advancing communication systems in the state .'s Minister of People's Power for Telecommunication and Information Technology, Socorro Hernandez, met here with the Governor of Bolivar state, Francisco Rangel Gomez and announced the creation of a regional integration of management with a view to further advancing communication systems in all corners of the state, with an investment of more than 6 million bolivars strong, with the participation of organized communities. Accompanied by officials of Cantv, a company that she also chairs, the Minister Hernandez offered information related to the first year of managing the important business, now structured under the new model of socialist production.


To expand and democratize the service

He said that the new Cantv is moving towards the objective of democratizing the telecommunications and manage their operations not only from Caracas, but from across the country, giving direct participation to the people through the technical working groups.

He stressed that the state of Bolivar is particularly important in plans for expansion and consolidation of telephone services and Internet, not only by the range of this historic area of the country, but by the cultural ancestry. In that regard announced that this year is planned an investment of more than 6 million bolivars strengths to improve customer service offices.

Achievements in Guyana

He mentioned that among the achievements made last year in Bolivar, given the realization of liaison Puerto Ordaz-Santa Elena de Uairén, across 490 miles of fiber optic backbone network south of Telecom Venezuela.

He added that were installed 12 mobile radiobases in Canaima, butterflies, Claritas, El Triunfo, Ciudad Piar, El Palmar, Guarataro, Crystallex, Kilometer 88, Manteca, hamlet Caroní and Los Próceres. Already in Guarataro Plan, Plan Communal Councils in the areas of Cachamay, Upata, San Felix and Guasipati, as well as technical working groups of telecommunications, information technology and postal services in Upata.

Additional gains

He said that nationwide, under the deepening of the nationalization of Cantv have captured 780 thousand new customers of fixed telephony, and a half million new mobile subscribers and 14 stocks were met more of 500 inhabitants.

With regard to economic achievements in this first year of management saw an increase of 18 percent of profits, was slowed intend to increase charges to consumers who were scheduled by the previous administration privately and on the contrary, was approved a discount of 20 percent to facilitate access and enjoyment of telecommunications services to all Venezuelans.

Committed to the socialist model

He mentioned that Cantv, now undertaking socialist, committed to the Strategic Plan of the Nation, honored the historic social debt with 8,144 retirees, pensioners and survivors and gave become a permanent staff to 438 contract workers. He stressed that with the profits achieved this year are being strengthened management programs of social interest, such as support for the Mission Sucre, which has been earmarked 362 billion bolivars from 1,500 million that now remained in the country as a result of profits last year.

He said that the expansion of service in the state of Bolivar is quantified with the addition of nearly 200 thousand new subscribers of fixed and mobile telephony, installation of 12 thousand teams in PC communications centres and about 6 thousand payphones during the 2007. And during the first quarter 2008, an increase of users was 2 thousand new users of fixed telephony and 5 thousand of the mobile.

Large investments until 2013

The minister pointed out that Socorro Hernandez to further improve service quality of telecommunications in the state, is expected this year an investment of 6 billion bolivars strong for the adequacy of infrastructure in the existing offices. He also announced "major investments" to further expand the network throughout the country "with the idea of bringing the telecommunications service to all corners of Venezuela." In that sense quoted as last year increased expansion of the network was 7,700 kilometres. By the end of this year will be increased to 11 thousand kilometers in 2010 and hopes to elevate the network to 210 kilometers.

I speak also of the satellite project to be built in Luepa as part of the programme of national integration and the Latin American and Caribbean region, forming part of ALBA. It also works in the structuring of the National Centre for Technology and Informatics for the implementation of free software towards technological sovereignty.

Community operations

The Minister said that the Socorro Hernandez Cantv forward a programme of incorporation of Community operators, through training people to handle communications centres managed by the Communal Councils, involving graduates of the UBV, which have already been postulated six for the state of Bolivar. Also working on an inventory of community radio stations with a view to putting in order the legality of these alternative media, as well as the provision of equipment for Internet use. He also is studying a new fee to promote solidarity to the popular sectors of economy weak and can enjoy the telecommunications service without undermining the financial income of the company.