Sesión Plenaria 13 de Septiembre 2024

Summary

This speech discusses the importance of maintaining public control over ETV (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá), a vital asset for the city of Bogotá. The speaker highlights ETV's growth in services like fiber optic internet, its role during the pandemic, and the challenges of copper theft affecting connectivity. The speaker stresses that these thefts are not mere vandalism but part of a broader criminal structure that requires serious attention. Proposals for improving security measures and increasing public-private cooperation are presented, along with a commitment to ensuring ETV remains a public and competitive entity for Bogotá's residents.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker praises Andrés García's important contributions to the discussion.
• 😀 The Alianza Verde party supports maintaining the public condition of ETB (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá) as an important asset for the city.
• 😀 The growth of ETB's fiber-optic network under Claudia López's administration was significant, increasing the number of fiber-optic clients from 42% to 80% of the customer base.
• 😀 ETB has been a crucial tool for providing connectivity, especially during the pandemic, enabling education through remote learning.
• 😀 Despite financial difficulties, ETB has made significant strides in expanding its coverage, increasing its client base, and maintaining competitiveness in the telecommunications market.
• 😀 ETB has encountered security challenges, particularly with copper theft, impacting both service reliability and operational costs.
• 😀 There has been a 326% increase in copper thefts, leading to widespread disruption in services and economic losses, particularly in Bogotá's neighborhoods.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes that copper theft is not just vandalism but a well-organized criminal operation with a significant economic impact, involving illegal markets for copper.
• 😀 International examples, such as cases in Spain and Chile, highlight the scale of criminal organizations involved in copper theft, with well-established networks for smuggling and selling stolen copper.
• 😀 Proposals for addressing the copper theft issue include better regulation of scrap metal businesses, stronger enforcement of laws against copper theft, and improving communication with the public about ETB's shift from copper to fiber-optic cables.

Q & A

What is the significance of the ETV (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá) in the context of this debate?

The ETV is considered an important asset for the city of Bogotá, providing connectivity through fiber optics, contributing to the digital transformation, and offering significant services to both residential and business clients. The debate highlights the importance of keeping ETV public for its role in offering competitive advantages in the market.

How did the ETV perform under Mayor Claudia López's administration?

Under Mayor Claudia López's administration, the ETV made significant strides, including doubling the number of fiber optic customers from 42% to 80%, and achieving a 197% increase in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) segment. It expanded its fiber optic coverage and reached over 2 million households by 2023.

What were some of the challenges faced by the ETV mentioned in the debate?

The ETV faced economic challenges, including deficits, and issues related to the security of its infrastructure. Specifically, the theft of copper cables was highlighted as a significant issue, with an increase in incidents affecting the quality of service and posing financial and operational challenges.

How did the theft of copper cables impact the ETV and its customers?

The theft of copper cables led to disconnections for thousands of customers, affecting their access to internet services. In addition to the direct financial losses associated with the stolen cables, the broader impact included the disruption of connectivity and productivity, especially during the pandemic when ETV played a key role in providing access to education.

What was the scale of the copper theft incidents in Bogotá?

The theft of copper cables in Bogotá escalated significantly, with a reported 2,500 incidents per month in 2024, a dramatic increase compared to the previous year. The top three most affected areas were San Cristóbal, Puente Aranda, and Kennedy.

What is the role of criminal organizations in the copper theft problem?

The debate emphasizes that the theft of copper is not merely an act of vandalism but is driven by well-organized criminal networks. These groups steal copper for resale, often to recycling companies, and then engage in illegal exports, contributing to the criminal economy.

What strategies are being suggested to address the copper theft issue?

Several strategies are proposed, including increased inspection and regulation of recycling businesses, ferreterías (hardware stores), and chatarrerías (scrapyards). There is also a call for stronger law enforcement actions, the creation of specific legislation, and the improvement of intelligence to tackle criminal networks.

How has the price of copper influenced the theft problem?

The global increase in copper prices, especially since 2021, has intensified the incentive for criminal groups to steal and sell copper. This spike in prices has been linked to global supply chain issues, including during and after the pandemic, making copper theft a more lucrative activity.

What measures are being taken by the ETV to combat copper theft?

The ETV has implemented some security measures, such as using motorized patrols and other 360-degree strategies to mitigate the theft of copper cables. However, these efforts are being revisited to address the rising incidents more effectively.

What concerns were raised regarding potential internal involvement in copper theft?

Concerns were raised about possible internal involvement in the thefts, with allegations that some ETV employees may have been complicit in the copper thefts. There were reports of employees being arrested in connection with such thefts, and the debate called for a thorough investigation into potential insider involvement.