Netlife: Redefining the Business Model with AI in Ecuador

“We view AI as a structural capability that redefines how we operate and how we compete in the market,” says Jonathan Villacis, CTO of Netlife. In an interview with ZTE Technologies at MWC 2026, he shared how the company has grown into a leading ISP in Ecuador and how AI is reshaping the ISP business model. Netlife is the largest fixed-network operator and most technologically advanced broadband provider in Ecuador.

What's your take on the fixed broadband trends, gaps and opportunities in Ecuador?

In Ecuador, internet users have come to highly value the overall services experience, which encompasses, for example, stability, speed, timely support, and the additional digital services their provider can offer. There's still a significant connectivity gap between urban and rural areas, which we must address by creating tailored services, especially aligned with a population that can purchase these kind of products, while meeting the needs of different socioeconomic segments. Additionally, there's a digital divide that we are committed to reducing through a social responsibility program aimed at reaching the most underserved communities. That's the overall approach.

Netlife has grown into a leading fixed broadband operator since its founding in 2010. What do you consider are the key drivers behind your success?

We consider that the main factor is a strong customer-centric approach. We are truly a customer-focused ISP and the biggest ISP in Ecuador. Behind this approach, there are some key drivers that shape the experience we deliver to our customers.

One of the most important is a passionate team, committed to improving our customer’s quality of life. A passionate team is the number one driver.

We are the number one ISP in Ecuador, not just because we are the biggest one, but also because we have the best experience and words about its service quality and experience.

Additionally, we have a solid and reliable infrastructure with continuous investment in technology, including AI upgrades. The adoption and internal integration of AI into our processes is now important, and we are a pioneer in Ecuador in internalizing this kind of technology. Service stability, security, digital protection, agile customer support, omnichannel service, and highly satisfactory interactions are very important for us because customers now want to interact with you and need easy communication between the ISP and themselves.

Finally, a commercial offering based on cutting-edge technology and competitive market pricing.

What is your philosophy regarding the role of AI in communication? How is it reshaping your operating model and network?

AI is definitely transforming the ISP business model. It's enabling extremely high operational efficiency through tools and solutions that deliver significant value to users. Service providers that successfully internalize AI into their processes and services will be able to lead and sustain their position in the market.

We view AI as a structural capability that redefines how we operate and how we compete in the market. With AI, we are transitioning to an anticipation-driven approach. By analyzing large volumes of real-time network data, we can identify patterns, prevent incidents, and optimize performance before customers perceive any impact.

We first get all this information from customers and from devices, and we anticipate any claim. From a customer experience perspective, AI allows us to personalize interactions and build a more agile service model supported by conversational assistance and behavioral analytics.

The other important point is that AI is not to replace human interaction, but to enhance it and make it more effective. We have developed our own tools that enable better and more satisfying interactions with our customers. We believe that we need to develop our own AI tools and solutions to be more competitive in the market. So we are fully in it.

How has ZTE contributed to your growth, and how do you see the value of this partnership?

ZTE is a strategic partner in our nationwide deployment. We have many PON ports, GPON/XGS-PON boards, and of course, CPEs and Wi-Fi extenders, all of which have contributed to our growth and the digital experience we deliver to our customers. ZTE has been a great partner. A large portion of our network has been deployed together with ZTE, and we have maintained a successful commercial relationship for about eight years.

How do you plan to differentiate your offerings to stay ahead of the highly competitive fixed broadband market?

Our differentiator remains consistent: continuing to strengthen our customers’ digital quality of life, delivering the best service experience. The vision is held by our employees, technology partners, executives, and shareholders. We have developed a robust ecosystem of platforms and processed extensive data, and built a data lake integrated with intelligent tools, allowing us to make decisions, anticipate needs, and improve service quality, performance, and stability. It enables us to provide our customers with a range of digital solutions, transforming our approach from a traditional telco to a digital company. 

How would you define your technology priorities for the coming years and what role does Netlife play in the evolving landscape?

Our technology priorities for the coming years are structured around strategic pillars: network intelligence, customer experience, and transformation and evolution toward a platform-based model. We are no longer a traditional connectivity provider— definitely we are transforming into an intelligent, data-driven provider.