Antel
Uruguay's state telecom operator building a $70m AI data centre in Canelones.
Antel, Uruguay's state telecom operator, is building a $70m AI-specialised data centre in Canelones, the first state-owned rather than hyperscaler-leased AI facility announced in Latin America this year.
Last refreshed: 14 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why is Uruguay's state telecom company building its own AI data centre?
Timeline for Antel
Announced a $70m AI data centre in Canelones targeting 2028-29 operation
Data Centres: Boom and Backlash: Uruguay's Antel builds a $70m AI centreBackground
Antel, formally the Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, is Uruguay's state-owned telecom operator, historically focused on carrying voice, broadband and mobile traffic.
Antel confirmed on 11-12 August 2026 that it will build a $70m AI-specialised data centre in Canelones department, its first move into AI-dedicated infrastructure rather than telecom carriage alone. Construction is targeted to start in the first quarter of 2027, with operation targeted for 2028-29 and around 250 direct jobs expected at the site.
The project marks a shift for Antel from network operator to AI infrastructure owner, positioning the company as a public utility entering compute directly rather than only leasing capacity to or from hyperscalers.