The technology and telecommunications company Entel was awarded first place in the category “Interconnection SDGs” in the CONECTA 2024 awards of the Global Compact for its initiative “Enabling and Technological Replacement for 2G Network Shutdown, leaving no one behind”. The interconnection of the Sustainable Development Goals that made the company worthy of this recognition were number 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 10: Reducing Inequalities; and 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
“This is the reflection of the work of all the managements in a challenge we had as a company many years ago, which was to shut down the 2G network worrying that no one would be left behind. This meant deploying ourselves throughout the national territory, challenging comfort zones and thinking about things in a different way. We are proud that a jury of many experts identified us as the sustainable measure of the year out of more than 160 projects evaluated”commented Entel's Sustainability and Communications Manager, Francisca Florenzano.
The 2G network shutdown, explained Entel, began as an initiative focused on promoting spectrum efficiency, reducing energy costs and updating our infrastructure, which implied shutting down more than 1,400 sites in 346 communities in the country.
“Driven by our Sustainability Strategy 'Conciencia en Todas' and guided by the definition of Stakeholder Engagement, we conducted a dual materiality analysis through a telephone consultation process with 2G users, in order to understand their needs and expectations. Thanks to this we were able to find out exactly what the users' needs were and defined a team in accordance with them, making technology available to people” ,explained Francisca Florenzano.
The company decided to carry out a free and proactive technological replacement for prioritized clients. Along these lines, it was deployed throughout the country to reach the communities where customers with 2G equipment were located, giving priority to those who lived more than 2 hours or 80 km from a store, and to those who were affected by the forest fires of 2023.
Florenzano said that with this decision “we have transformed an operational efficiency project into a project that creates social, economic and environmental value, and reflects the company's purpose of bringing the infinite possibilities offered by technology closer”.
The project was carried out with a comprehensive approach based on the four pillars of transformation of “Conciencia en Todas”: Inclusive, which allowed for the first time the nine management departments of the company to work on the same project; Cultural, due to the delivery of free equipment for prioritized clients and deployment throughout the national territory; Sustainable, since there is a proactive recycling plan for the equipment; and Responsible, a transparent process with the client at the center.
To date, this initiative has accumulated more than 11 thousand effective equipment replacements (8,599 in rural areas), impacting 289 communities in the country. On the other hand, the process of switching off is already 96% complete at the country level.
Initiative with multiple awards
This year, the shutdown of Entel's 2G network in Chile has received several international and national awards, among them:
Winning project in Latin America and the Caribbean CONECTA LATAM AWARDS 2024 in the category “Best Sustainability Initiative in Telecom of the Year”.
Case study highlighted in the GSMA's “Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals”.
Initiative recognized at Expo Inclusion in the “Telecommunications” category.
Winning initiative in the “Social, work with clients” category of the Business Sustainability ranking of Brinca and the Business School of the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.
First and only Chilean company selected to participate in the international series of short documentaries “Vision 2045”, developed by Reuters agency, through its audiovisual piece “No one left behind”.
16 Dic, 2024
The technology and telecommunications company Entel was awarded first place in the category “Interconnection SDGs” in the CONECTA 2024 awards of the Global Compact for its initiative “Enabling and Technological Replacement for 2G Network Shutdown, leaving no one behind”. The interconnection of the Sustainable Development Goals that made the company worthy of this recognition were number 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 10: Reducing Inequalities; and 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
“This is the reflection of the work of all the managements in a challenge we had as a company many years ago, which was to shut down the 2G network worrying that no one would be left behind. This meant deploying ourselves throughout the national territory, challenging comfort zones and thinking about things in a different way. We are proud that a jury of many experts identified us as the sustainable measure of the year out of more than 160 projects evaluated”commented Entel's Sustainability and Communications Manager, Francisca Florenzano.
The 2G network shutdown, explained Entel, began as an initiative focused on promoting spectrum efficiency, reducing energy costs and updating our infrastructure, which implied shutting down more than 1,400 sites in 346 communities in the country.
“Driven by our Sustainability Strategy 'Conciencia en Todas' and guided by the definition of Stakeholder Engagement, we conducted a dual materiality analysis through a telephone consultation process with 2G users, in order to understand their needs and expectations. Thanks to this we were able to find out exactly what the users' needs were and defined a team in accordance with them, making technology available to people” ,explained Francisca Florenzano.
The company decided to carry out a free and proactive technological replacement for prioritized clients. Along these lines, it was deployed throughout the country to reach the communities where customers with 2G equipment were located, giving priority to those who lived more than 2 hours or 80 km from a store, and to those who were affected by the forest fires of 2023.
Florenzano said that with this decision “we have transformed an operational efficiency project into a project that creates social, economic and environmental value, and reflects the company's purpose of bringing the infinite possibilities offered by technology closer”.
The project was carried out with a comprehensive approach based on the four pillars of transformation of “Conciencia en Todas”: Inclusive, which allowed for the first time the nine management departments of the company to work on the same project; Cultural, due to the delivery of free equipment for prioritized clients and deployment throughout the national territory; Sustainable, since there is a proactive recycling plan for the equipment; and Responsible, a transparent process with the client at the center.
To date, this initiative has accumulated more than 11 thousand effective equipment replacements (8,599 in rural areas), impacting 289 communities in the country. On the other hand, the process of switching off is already 96% complete at the country level.
Initiative with multiple awards
This year, the shutdown of Entel's 2G network in Chile has received several international and national awards, among them:
Winning project in Latin America and the Caribbean CONECTA LATAM AWARDS 2024 in the category “Best Sustainability Initiative in Telecom of the Year”.
Case study highlighted in the GSMA's “Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals”.
Initiative recognized at Expo Inclusion in the “Telecommunications” category.
Winning initiative in the “Social, work with clients” category of the Business Sustainability ranking of Brinca and the Business School of the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.
First and only Chilean company selected to participate in the international series of short documentaries “Vision 2045”, developed by Reuters agency, through its audiovisual piece “No one left behind”.
The technology and telecommunications company Entel was awarded first place in the category “Interconnection SDGs” in the CONECTA 2024 awards of the Global Compact for its initiative “Enabling and Technological Replacement for 2G Network Shutdown, leaving no one behind”. The interconnection of the Sustainable Development Goals that made the company worthy of this recognition were number 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 10: Reducing Inequalities; and 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
“This is the reflection of the work of all the managements in a challenge we had as a company many years ago, which was to shut down the 2G network worrying that no one would be left behind. This meant deploying ourselves throughout the national territory, challenging comfort zones and thinking about things in a different way. We are proud that a jury of many experts identified us as the sustainable measure of the year out of more than 160 projects evaluated”commented Entel's Sustainability and Communications Manager, Francisca Florenzano.
The 2G network shutdown, explained Entel, began as an initiative focused on promoting spectrum efficiency, reducing energy costs and updating our infrastructure, which implied shutting down more than 1,400 sites in 346 communities in the country.
“Driven by our Sustainability Strategy 'Conciencia en Todas' and guided by the definition of Stakeholder Engagement, we conducted a dual materiality analysis through a telephone consultation process with 2G users, in order to understand their needs and expectations. Thanks to this we were able to find out exactly what the users' needs were and defined a team in accordance with them, making technology available to people” ,explained Francisca Florenzano.
The company decided to carry out a free and proactive technological replacement for prioritized clients. Along these lines, it was deployed throughout the country to reach the communities where customers with 2G equipment were located, giving priority to those who lived more than 2 hours or 80 km from a store, and to those who were affected by the forest fires of 2023.
Florenzano said that with this decision “we have transformed an operational efficiency project into a project that creates social, economic and environmental value, and reflects the company's purpose of bringing the infinite possibilities offered by technology closer”.
The project was carried out with a comprehensive approach based on the four pillars of transformation of “Conciencia en Todas”: Inclusive, which allowed for the first time the nine management departments of the company to work on the same project; Cultural, due to the delivery of free equipment for prioritized clients and deployment throughout the national territory; Sustainable, since there is a proactive recycling plan for the equipment; and Responsible, a transparent process with the client at the center.
To date, this initiative has accumulated more than 11 thousand effective equipment replacements (8,599 in rural areas), impacting 289 communities in the country. On the other hand, the process of switching off is already 96% complete at the country level.
Initiative with multiple awards
This year, the shutdown of Entel's 2G network in Chile has received several international and national awards, among them:
Winning project in Latin America and the Caribbean CONECTA LATAM AWARDS 2024 in the category “Best Sustainability Initiative in Telecom of the Year”.
Case study highlighted in the GSMA's “Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals”.
Initiative recognized at Expo Inclusion in the “Telecommunications” category.
Winning initiative in the “Social, work with clients” category of the Business Sustainability ranking of Brinca and the Business School of the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.
First and only Chilean company selected to participate in the international series of short documentaries “Vision 2045”, developed by Reuters agency, through its audiovisual piece “No one left behind”.