Telecom Argentina's View of Autonomous Networks and the Road to Level 4

At FutureNet World 2026, Eduardo Panciera from Telecom Argentina gave a useful operator view of where autonomous networks are heading and, more importantly, what stands in the way of getting there.

The presentation was titled Autonomous Networks and AI: A Perfect Match, From Automation to Level 4 Autonomy. The main message was simple but important. Operators cannot keep managing future networks with the same operating model they use today. Automation helps, but automation alone is no longer enough. As networks become more complex, operators need to move towards real autonomy.

Telecom Argentina is an interesting company to hear this from. It is not just a mobile operator. It provides connectivity, IPTV, OTT services, B2B services and fintech services. It has also been rebranding products under the Personal brand, with the aim of giving each user a more personal and digital experience. Eduardo linked this ambition to TM Forum's Zero-X vision, where the goal is to provide zero wait, zero touch and zero trouble experiences for customers. TM Forum describes Zero-X in similar terms, focusing on zero wait, zero touch and zero trouble as guiding principles for future digital operations.

The problem is that simplicity for the customer usually means more complexity inside the network.

Telecom Argentina's view is that operators need self-X networks, cloud-based programmable infrastructure, AI-driven assurance, automated decision-making and APIs that expose network capabilities. In other words, the customer-facing experience may become simpler, but the operational layer behind it has to become much more intelligent.

This is particularly true as 5G networks expand. 5G enables more personalised services and more programmable capabilities, but it also brings additional operational complexity. Operators have to deal with multi-cloud environments, heterogeneous networks, rising costs and more demanding service expectations. Traditional automation can support some of this, but the network is becoming too complex for humans to remain involved in every design, decision and recovery process.

That is the gap between automation and autonomy.

In a normal network operations cycle, the operator defines targets and KPIs, observes the network, identifies deviations, analyses what is happening, designs possible solutions, decides which one to apply and executes the action. Today, parts of that cycle are already automated. Execution is often automated. Observability and alarm handling are increasingly automated. But solution design and decision-making still often sit with human teams. Eduardo's point was that autonomy requires these cognitive steps to move into the system itself.

This is why Level 4 matters.

TM Forum classifies Autonomous Network levels from Level 0 to Level 5, ranging from manual management to fully autonomous networks. Its Autonomous Networks Mission describes Level 4 as introducing decision-making based on intent-driven, predictive analysis and closed-loop management of service-driven and customer experience-driven networks, supported by AI modelling and continuous learning.

In practical terms, Level 4 is where autonomous networks stop being a future vision and become an execution problem. TM Forum made a similar point in June 2026, saying that Level 4 is where autonomous networks move from ambition into an industry execution challenge.

Level 5 remains the longer-term aspiration. It implies full autonomy across a much wider range of domains and scenarios. Level 4 is the more immediate challenge because it requires operators to trust the system to make decisions in defined areas, under defined policies, using reliable data and closed-loop control.

AI is central to that transition, but Telecom Argentina's message was not simply that AI can be added to existing operations.

Eduardo described a layered autonomous network architecture, aligned with TM Forum thinking, with business, service and resource layers. The resource layer includes familiar network domains such as mobile core, RAN and transport. Intents flow down from higher layers, while reports and feedback flow up. Each domain can have its own closed loop, and there can also be closed loops between layers.

This is an important distinction. Autonomous networks are not just about automating individual tasks. They are about connecting business intent, service requirements and resource behaviour through closed-loop systems.

The AI components in this architecture can be split into copilots and agents.

A copilot is triggered by a human. It can help with suggestions, data analysis, troubleshooting and natural language interaction. It supports the human operator.

An agent goes further. It observes, analyses and decides without direct human intervention. This is where the shift towards autonomy starts to become real.

The agent model described in the presentation is also worth noting. Agents receive intent from humans or from other agents. They observe the network environment using logs, KPIs and alarms. They use knowledge and memory to understand context. Short-term memory provides the current situation, while long-term memory captures past experience, domain knowledge, design documents and technology information.

Agents can work in two ways. They can be reactive, responding to real-time events. They can also be proactive, anticipating problems or recommending network parameter optimisation before an issue becomes visible to the customer. In practice, operators will need both. Reactive autonomy helps with fault handling. Proactive autonomy is where networks start to become self-optimising and, eventually, self-evolving.

However, one agent is not enough.

Telecom Argentina's view is that operators will need a network of agents distributed across business, service and resource layers. These agents will need to collaborate, negotiate and communicate with each other. That brings a new challenge. If an operator has hundreds or thousands of agents working across domains, then it also needs a governance framework for those agents.

Eduardo highlighted several elements of this governance framework: registry, identity, guardrails, orchestration, observability and a shared data model. Agents must be able to discover each other. They must be authenticated. They must have rules and boundaries. Their workflows must be orchestrated. Their actions must be observable. Most importantly, they must all understand the network in the same way.

That final point may be the most important part of the presentation.

Telecom Argentina's argument is that operators cannot just place AI on top of the way networks are operated today and expect Level 4 autonomy to emerge.

Today, many telecom operations still work from the "how". Teams have runbooks and documents that describe how to configure the network, how to configure assurance and how to update inventory. Different teams perform different steps. The result is often fragmented data. The real network configuration may not match the inventory. The topology used by assurance systems may not match the live network. Different systems can hold different versions of reality.

In that environment, AI may improve some tasks, but it will not be reliable enough for true autonomy. Agents making decisions on top of poor or inconsistent data will make poor or inconsistent decisions.

This is why trusted data is central to autonomous networks.

Telecom Argentina's proposed shift is to move from operating from the "how" to operating from the "what". Instead of starting with runbooks and configuration steps, the operator starts with intent. What service should be delivered? What resources does it require? What SLA must it meet? What assurance should be associated with it? This information should be captured through a catalogue and a source of truth, then orchestrated across resources, inventory and assurance.

This is a different operating model.

It means that autonomy is not just about AI tools. It is about trusted data models, service catalogues, intent-based operations, orchestration and closed-loop assurance. The agents only become useful when they operate on a consistent representation of the network and the services running over it.

That also explains why Level 4 is so difficult. The technology is only one part of the journey.

Telecom Argentina described three avenues for reaching Level 4. The first is technology, moving from traditional automation to programmable networks and then to agentic AI. The second is process, because existing operating processes need to change if agents are to be used safely and effectively. The third, and perhaps most difficult, is culture. Operators have to move from thinking primarily in terms of networks to thinking in terms of data models and digital operations.

This is a useful message for the wider industry.

Many operators are now talking about autonomous networks, AI-native operations and agentic AI. The risk is that these terms become marketing labels attached to existing automation platforms. Telecom Argentina's presentation was more grounded. It made clear that autonomy requires a much deeper change in how the operator understands, models and governs its network.

For Operator Watch readers, this is also a reminder that the next phase of operator transformation will not only be about 5G coverage, fibre expansion, cloud migration or customer apps. It will also be about the operating model underneath all of that.

An operator that wants to deliver personalised digital services at scale cannot keep relying on fragmented inventories, disconnected assurance systems and manual decision-making. It needs trusted data, programmable infrastructure, intent-based orchestration and closed loops that can act safely within defined boundaries.

AI can help, but AI is not the starting point. The starting point is a trusted model of the network and the services running over it.

That may be the most important lesson from Telecom Argentina's FutureNet World presentation. Level 4 autonomy is not just a technology milestone. It is a test of whether operators can redesign their operations around trusted data, closed-loop control and governed AI agents.

Level 5 may still be aspirational, but Level 4 is already becoming the practical battleground.

The FutureNet World 2026 presentation by Eduardo Panciera is embedded below:

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Argentina's Mobile Market at a Turning Point 

Argentina's Mobile Market at a Turning Point

Argentina has long been one of Latin America's more unusual mobile markets. While many countries in the region have been dominated by one or two large operators, Argentina maintained a durable three-player structure, with Personal, Claro and Movistar competing nationally across mobile coverage, network quality, pricing and increasingly converged services.

According to Argentina's competition authority, before the recent market restructuring Claro had 41.8% of the national mobile market, Personal had 33.8% and Movistar had 24.4%. The split was not perfectly equal, but it ensured three nationwide network operators with sufficient scale to compete. That structure is now being reshaped.

In February 2025, Telecom Argentina acquired almost all of Telefónica Móviles Argentina, the company behind the Movistar brand, for US$1.245 billion. The transaction brought Personal and Movistar under the same ownership and immediately raised concerns about excessive market concentration. Without remedies, the competition authority calculated that Argentina would effectively be reduced to two independent mobile network operators, with the combined Telecom operation holding around 58% of the market and Claro the remaining 42%.

After more than a year of regulatory and political uncertainty, the most important development came in June 2026.

Argentina's Tribunal de Defensa de la Competencia made approval of the transaction conditional on a substantial restructuring. Telecom must transfer six million active mobile customers to an independent acquirer, including four million in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area and another two million elsewhere in the country. The transfer must be accompanied by sufficient spectrum to support a viable mobile service. The new competitor will also be able to access network sharing, roaming, co-location and other infrastructure arrangements while building its own network. The divestment must be completed within 18 months.

This means that the defining question for Argentina's mobile market is no longer simply whether Personal, Claro or Movistar has the best network.

It is who will emerge as the country's third major mobile operator.

The regulatory intervention is particularly interesting because it is not simply requiring Telecom to return spectrum or sell a small collection of assets. The objective is to preserve three competitive nationwide mobile operators by transferring a substantial customer base together with the spectrum and access arrangements required to support it.

For years, Argentina had three established mobile network operators. Telecom's acquisition of Telefónica threatened to turn that into a duopoly. The regulator is now attempting to create the conditions for a third strong competitor to emerge from the restructuring.

This change comes at an important point in the evolution of Argentina's mobile networks.

According to GSMA Intelligence data published by DataReportal, Argentina had 66.6 million cellular mobile connections at the end of 2025, an increase of 4.0 million, or 6.4%, compared with the end of 2024. This was equivalent to 145% of the population, reflecting the fact that many people and organisations use more than one connection. Around 98.4% of mobile connections were classified as mobile broadband connections using 3G, 4G or 5G networks.

LTE remains the workhorse of the Argentine mobile market, but the 5G story has been developing for several years.

Personal switched on Argentina's first 5G network in February 2021, initially activating ten sites in Buenos Aires and Rosario. These early deployments used Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, or DSS, allowing 4G and 5G to share existing spectrum. By the end of 2022, Personal had 143 active 5G sites and was gaining operational experience while waiting for the spectrum required for a larger-scale deployment.

The real turning point came in October 2023, when Argentina auctioned 250 MHz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz range. Claro and Telecom each acquired 100 MHz, while Telefónica acquired 50 MHz. The auction generated more than US$875 million and gave the operators access to dedicated mid-band spectrum for more meaningful 5G deployments.

This distinction is important. Argentina was not particularly late to put 5G on air, but the first deployments were limited and largely based on DSS. The move from early 5G using existing spectrum to dedicated 3.5 GHz networks only accelerated after the 2023 auction.

Today, Personal, Claro and Movistar all offer commercial 5G services in major urban centres including Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza.

However, this should still be viewed as the beginning rather than the end of deployment.

Although commercial 5G services are now available in Argentina's largest cities, LTE continues to account for the majority of mobile connections and traffic, with 5G adoption still in its early stages.

For most subscribers, 5G currently represents an incremental improvement in speed rather than a transformational change in service.

Claro entered Argentina as part of América Móvil's wider Latin American expansion and, before the recent restructuring, had grown into the country's largest mobile operator by market share.

The operator acquired a full 100 MHz block of 3.5 GHz spectrum in the 2023 auction and subsequently selected Nokia for a nationwide 5G deployment. The initial phase targeted Argentina's largest cities, using Massive MIMO and other elements from Nokia's AirScale portfolio. The deployment was positioned not only around faster consumer mobile broadband but also around future enterprise opportunities in sectors including manufacturing and oil and gas.

Claro's position has changed significantly from its earlier image as primarily the aggressive pricing challenger. It now combines the largest mobile market share with a significant spectrum holding and a major 5G investment programme.

In the old three-player structure, Claro could compete against Personal and Movistar separately. Following Telecom's acquisition, it briefly faced the prospect of competing against a much larger combined rival. The June 2026 remedies are therefore highly significant for Claro as well as for the future third operator.

Movistar is at the centre of this restructuring. Telefónica had been a major part of Argentina's telecommunications sector for decades, investing heavily in 3G, LTE, fibre and other services. It also acquired 50 MHz of 3.5 GHz spectrum during the 2023 auction.

However, Telefónica had been reducing its exposure to several Latin American markets. On 24 February 2025, Telecom Argentina acquired 99.999625% of Telefónica Móviles Argentina for US$1.245 billion. By the end of 2025, the acquired business still had approximately 19.1 million mobile subscribers, including M2M connections.

The future of those customers is now one of the biggest questions in the Argentine telecoms market.

Six million active mobile customers must be transferred to an independent acquirer. They will not simply represent a collection of disconnected assets. The regulatory package includes customer contracts, numbering, sufficient spectrum and transitional access to infrastructure. The objective is to give the acquiring operator enough scale to compete rather than creating a weak third player that exists only on paper.

The remedies extend beyond mobile. Telecom must also divest 211,400 fixed broadband customers across 28 local markets where the combined operation would create excessive concentration. In Buenos Aires, the transfer of Telefónica's FTTH network is mandatory.

Personal, the consumer brand of Telecom Argentina, entered 2026 from a position of considerable strength.

At the end of 2025, Telecom reported approximately 19.9 million Personal mobile subscribers in Argentina, excluding the acquired Telefónica business. The subscriber base had declined by 7.8% during the year, largely because inactive prepaid lines with no recorded traffic were disconnected. Around 60% of the remaining customer base was prepaid and 40% postpaid, while mobile ARPU increased by 15.8% in real terms.

Personal has developed into a fully converged communications brand combining mobile, fixed broadband, television, streaming and digital services. Its mobile network has also been a central part of Telecom's technology strategy.

After pioneering Argentina's first DSS-based 5G deployment, Telecom acquired 100 MHz of dedicated 3.5 GHz spectrum in 2023. The company reported 265 5G sites across major cities by the end of 2024 and continued expanding the network during 2025. Personal was subsequently recognised by Ookla as having Argentina's fastest 5G mobile network during 2025, alongside continued recognition for overall mobile network performance.

The challenge for Personal is now much bigger than network performance.

Telecom owns the former Telefónica Argentina business, but regulatory approval requires it to give up six million mobile customers and the spectrum needed to support them. The company must therefore integrate a major acquisition while simultaneously implementing one of the most substantial mobile market remedies seen in the region.

For Operator Watch readers, however, the mobile element is the most intriguing.

• Who will acquire six million customers?
• How much and which spectrum will ultimately accompany them?
• Can the acquiring company build a nationwide network and commercial operation capable of competing with Claro and Personal?
• And how quickly can it move from transitional access arrangements to a sustainable network of its own?

The outcome could reshape not only market shares but also future network investment. A new or strengthened third player could inherit millions of customers from day one, but it would still need to develop its own retail strategy, network footprint, spectrum roadmap, distribution channels and brand proposition.

At the same time, Argentina's operators continue to face economic conditions that make network investment particularly challenging. Telecom equipment and many network inputs are priced in US dollars, while most customer revenues are generated in Argentine pesos. Inflation, currency volatility and access to international financing have all complicated long-term capital planning. Telecom itself identifies inflation, devaluation, exchange-rate risk and the cost of financing capital expenditure among the major risks affecting its operations.

Despite these pressures, investment has continued.

Operators have expanded LTE capacity, fibre backhaul and 5G infrastructure. Personal and Claro each acquired 100 MHz of 3.5 GHz spectrum, while Telefónica acquired 50 MHz before its sale to Telecom. The next phase will be less about simply switching on more 5G sites and more about turning those networks into commercially sustainable platforms.

For consumers, 5G will continue to improve speed and capacity as dedicated mid-band coverage expands. LTE, however, is likely to remain critical for nationwide coverage and the majority of connections for some time.

For operators, the more difficult questions will be around monetisation. These include encouraging migration from prepaid to higher-value contracts, increasing the value of converged mobile and fixed propositions, developing enterprise 5G services and using better network performance to improve customer retention rather than simply competing on price.

Argentina therefore enters the second half of 2026 with two major transitions happening at the same time.

The first is technological, as the market moves from LTE and early DSS-based 5G towards broader use of dedicated 3.5 GHz networks.

The second is structural, as a market that spent years with three established national operators tries to preserve three-way competition after one of those operators was acquired by another.

The regulatory decision does not answer all the questions. In many ways, it creates new ones.

The identity of the buyer of the six million customers will be critical. So will the exact spectrum package, the ability of the new competitor to build its own network and the willingness of investors to finance another nationwide mobile operation.

For years, Argentina's mobile market was defined by competition between Personal, Claro and Movistar.

The next chapter may be defined by Personal, Claro and a third operator that does not yet exist in its final form.

That could make Argentina one of the most interesting mobile markets to watch in Latin America over the next few years.

Venezuela’s Mobile Revolution: Growth, Innovation, and the Road to 5G

Venezuela, despite facing economic and political challenges in recent years, has a dynamic telecommunications market. Mobile operators play a pivotal role in keeping citizens connected, providing essential services amid an increasingly digital world.

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 21.37 million cellular mobile connections in Venezuela at the start of 2024.

However, note that many people around the world make use of more than one mobile connection – for example, they might have one connection for personal use, and another one for work – so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Venezuela were equivalent to 73.4 percent of the total population in January 2024.

The number of mobile connections in Venezuela increased by 1.5 million (+7.7 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

Mobile telecommunications in Venezuela are regulated by CONATEL (Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones), which oversees the licensing and operation of mobile operators. The market is characterized by a mix of state-owned and private entities. There are three main mobile operators; Digitel, Movilnet and Movistar.

Digitel begun shutting down its 2G network in May 2021, with the local unit of Movistar commencing the process on 1st July 2022. This leaves state-backed Movilnet as the sole 2G provider.

CONATEL plans to phase out 2G connectivity by the end of 2025 and replace it with 4G. The government also hopes to deploy around 2,100 new 4G cell sites by 2025 to achieve 90% population coverage.

Movistar is part of the Telefónica Group and has a market share of nearly 54% of the country's mobile market, it is the leader in Venezuela's mobile market, with a customer base exceeding 7 million. Notably, 84% of its users are 4G customers, and the company accounts for over 50% of the country’s mobile internet traffic. Additionally, it has expanded into providing home fixed internet services through its Movistar Agile Solution (SAM) product. The operator's mobile network utilizes GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G+ UMTS (HSDPA/HSUPA), and LTE technologies. 

Recently Movistar Venezuela has undertaken more than 1,300 initiatives to enhance its LTE network coverage across the country, according to José Luis Rodríguez Zarco, the company’s president.

During a press conference, Rodríguez Zarco shared that the operator is actively modernizing and expanding over 500 stations in Caracas and the eastern region, while extending its 4G network to 32 new areas to improve coverage and capacity. He also stated they are focused on expanding coverage, modernizing their platforms, recovering affected stations and preparing for new technologies such as voice over LTE and 5G.

Movilnet a subsidiary of Compania Anonima Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), has a nearly 40% market share in Venezuela's mobile telecommunications industry.

Earlier this year, Movilnet has carried out a series of initiatives to strengthen its presence and quality of service in the eastern region of Venezuela. As part of its strategy to expand and improve 4GMAX coverage, the company has carried out network enhancements in Nueva Esparta, Monagas and Sucre, benefiting some 74,000 customers in the area.

Movilnet has also begun pilot testing of 5G technology in the Capital District and La Guaira and more than 130 million dollars have been invested so far this year, so there is an increase in new technologies to benefit their customers nationwide.

Digitel is the smallest of the three operators with approximately 15% market share and 3 million mobile subscribers. Digitel's network originally only covered Venezuela's central region, but the company expanded its reach through a series of mergers and network expansion programs. In 2013, Digitel became the first operator in Venezuela to offer 4G/LTE capabilities in major cities.

Digitel received the Ookla Speedtest Award 2023, after consolidating itself as the fastest mobile network in Venezuela.

Digitel reported that on June 7 2024, it carried out the first tests of 5G technology in the 3.5 GHz band, in the states of Nueva Esparta and Barinas. Specifically, this is the Fixed Wireless Access or FWA service, boosting the connectivity and browsing experience of users who participate in the demo. 

Digitel's deployment of its 5G network in Nueva Esparta and Barinas includes the adaptation of the existing infrastructure, specifically 20 radio base stations, to offer speeds up to 10 times higher, with almost non-existent latency. This means a faster and more stable browsing experience for users, through a fixed service.

The mobile sector in Venezuela is poised for transformation as operators navigate economic and political challenges while meeting growing consumer demands. With strategic investments, partnerships, and regulatory reforms, the industry could play a vital role in driving digital inclusion and economic recovery.

Panama to get Public and Private 5G in 2024

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. Panama is known as a transit country because of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal, a famous feat of human engineering, cuts through its center, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to create an essential shipping route.

According to GSMA Intelligence, Panama had 5.34 million cellular mobile connections at the beginning of 2024. However, it's important to recognize that many individuals globally use more than one mobile connection—such as having one for personal use and another for work—so it's common for the number of mobile connections to surpass the total population.

GSMA Intelligence reports that in January 2024, mobile connections in Panama represented 118.6 percent of the population. Between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024, the number of mobile connections in Panama decreased by 6,999, a decline of 0.1 percent. Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 5.34 million cellular mobile connections in Panama at the start of 2024.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Panama were equivalent to 118.6 percent of the total population in January 2024. The number of mobile connections in Panama decreased by 6,999 (-0.1 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

Operator Digicel is featured in the most recent report by OpenSignal on Panama however Panama’s ICT regulator Asep will terminate operator Digicel's concession due to a failure to find a buyer for its assets and keep the contract valid.

Digicel has spectrum in the 1900MHz and 700MHz bands, as well as a network involving over 700 sites, covering 80% of the population. However Digicel exited Panama in 2022, claiming it was unable to compete in a market dominated by Tigo and C&W, after a Claro and C&W Panamá merger received the green light.

But law mandates that the country must have at least three mobile phone operators to guarantee competition. To attract at least one other player, Asep is planning an update of its telecoms law to simplify procedures, promote competition and create new business models to facilitate infrastructure and spectrum sharing.

Meanwhile second largest operator Cable & Wireless Panama (+Móvil) will be implementing a pilot test in a controlled environment with the fifth generation of mobile network technology (5G) in the national market.  +Móvil will be carrying out pilot tests using the 5G network in the 3.5 GHz band , with the aim of evaluating results that allow it to provide solutions to selected companies. 

The tests also include projects with strategic allies in the retail sector, implementing an extended 5G LAN network for video surveillance systems in distribution and storage centers. Another pilot project is being carried out in one of the main ports in Panama, where remote control platforms will be managed through the 5G Wi-Fi network.

Hoy más que nunca, reiteramos nuestro compromiso de inversión constante para que la mejor y más moderna red, esté siempre contigo. 💪🏽💫
¡CRECEMOS CONTIGO PANAMÁ! pic.twitter.com/lxJRao16kQ

— Tigo Panamá (@TigoPanama) July 24, 2024

Tigo as of January 2023 reportedly had 2.4 million mobile subscriptions in Panama, plus an additional 469,000 fiber customers.

Tigo Panama has pledged $100 million towards the modernizing and expansion of its network this year. This latest spend comes on top of the $475m that Tigo has invested in the country since Millicom International Cellular closed the takeover of Cable Onda in December 2018.

Tigo's latest investments will be used to increase its LTE capacity in the country to new areas, which currently sits at 95 percent.

According to the company, this part of the network is already prepped for the implementation of 5G. The company will also increase its fiber footprint, with Tigo saying that it will deploy fiber-optic networks to 90,000 homes in Puerto Armuelles, Colon City, Panama City, ​​Penonome, Azuero, and San Miguelito.

According to Bnamericas, the Panama canal authority (ACP) expects to finish deployment of a private 5G network around the end of this fiscal year, in September-October. The mobile infrastructure is currently in the installation and pilot testing phase, Augusto Sánchez, ACP interconnectivity manager, said during an event hosted by the Organization of American States' (OAS) Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (Citel) in Panama. ACP is working on a private network directly with an equipment provider, regulator Asep previously told BNamericas. The aim is to implement the mobile network throughout ACP's areas of operations. 

The Status of Mobile Networks in Latin America

The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) represents the voice of the mobile ecosystem with members including vendors, operators, academia and regulators. GSA has nine Executive Members, including Apple, Ericsson, Huawei, MediaTek, Nokia, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung and ZTE. With a further 80+ Members and Associates, GSA draws its membership from across the global mobile ecosystem, including mobile operators, regulators, analyst firms, academia and an extensive vendor community spanning chipsets to devices, and network equipment to FWA and private mobile specialists. GSA is a Market Representation Partner in 3GPP and co-operates with other key organisations including ITU, GCF, CITEL, COAI, ETSI, GSMA, CEPT-ECC, ATU, and other regional regulatory bodies.

The first GSA report closely tracking the status of 4G and 5G network deployment in Latin America was published earlier this month. It uses the latest GSA data and draws on various GSA reports, including private mobile networks, to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of 4G and 5G roll-outs in the region. Quoting from the paper summary:

In recent years, Latin America has witnessed significant advancements in telecommunications technology, particularly in mobile networks. The proliferation of 4G LTE networks has transformed the digital landscape, enabling faster data speeds, enhanced connectivity and the widespread adoption of mobile broadband services across the region. Moreover, the advent of 5G technology promises to usher in a new era of connectivity, characterized by ultrafast speeds, low latency and greater security.

This report delves into various aspects of mobile network evolution including the status of LTE, the roll-out of 5G networks, advancements in LTE-Advanced, the emergence of 5G standalone infrastructure, the development of private networks and the switch-off of 2G and 3G technologies.

You can download the paper from this page here.

In this regional spotlight webinar, the GSA Research team was joined by senior representatives from telecom regulators, including Alejandro Navarrete, Head of the Radioelectric Spectrum Unit at IFT and ANATEL’s Deputy Superintendent of Granting and Resources, Mr Sidney Azeredo, to explore the challenges and opportunities for 5G in the region. During the webinar, the GSA Research team shared the latest data on:

• The status of LTE and 5G in the region
• Private Networks in LATAM
• Spectrum assignments, both recently completed and upcoming

Following the data snapshot is a roundtable discussion with regulators where the panel explores the market dynamics and what the future holds for 4G and 5G in their markets. The webinar is embedded below:

Colombians Pin Their Hopes on 5G Due to Lacklustre 4G Experience

Despite the harsh impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country’s population and economy, Colombia’s telecom sector has been recovering due to positive performances in the fixed-line broadband, mobile broadband, and mobile voice and data markets.

Colombia’s fixed-line penetration remained stable by the end of 2020, though began to increase into 2021 as a result of the particular demands on households resulting from government measures associated with addressing the pandemic. However, at less than 15% it is well below the Latin American average. The mobile market, by contrast, reached a penetration rate of 136% (an increase of over three percentage points on 2019) and managed to keep the same upward growth trajectory that it has sustained over the last ten years. The fixed-line broadband market also expanded, with the number of subscribers increasing 11.4%, and with revenue increasing 9.9% thanks to increased data usage as many customers were forced to work or study from home during the year.

The mobile broadband market was the standout performer in 2020, with a 13% increase in the number of subscribers year-on-year, albeit the penetration rate is relatively low compared to other Latin American countries. Most significant of all was the surge in mobile broadband traffic — a 51% increase over the previous year — which was again a reflection of the strict lockdowns that Colombians had to endure for much of 2020.

Market leader Claro continued to expand its dominance of the mobile broadband market, increasing its share over the last decade by 10% to reach 54% at the start of 2021. Tigo, conversely, has seen its share halved over the same period of time, yet its subscriber base has still managed to grow on the back of a strong overall market. Tigo also suffered the most from Colombia’s imposed lockdowns in 2020, severely impacting its retail sales (a 20% decline in revenue) with nearly half of its stores being forced to close.

There are 4 networks in the country: Claro (formely Comcel), Movistar, Tigo Une (Tigo merged with UNE) and newcomer WOM. The three major operators share almost 90% of the market, led by Claro with about the half and followed by Movistar and Tigo with about 20% each.

2G and 3G is on 850 MHz on Claro and Movistar and 1900 MHz on all three majors. 4G/LTE started 2013/4 on 2600 MHz (B7) on Claro and Tigo and 1700 MHz (AWS/B4) on Movistar and Tigo and reaches already most of the population. WOM started as a 4G/LTE network only on 1700 MHz (B4) and roam on other networks for 2G/3G.

The most recent Open Signal report found Tigo to be the best performing operator in most of their categories. 

While Colombia’s Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (MinTIC) has not yet scheduled an auction of 5G spectrum , in November the regulator announced plans for public consultation on increasing spectrum caps for the frequencies below 3 GHz — up to 50 MHz in the frequency range below 1 GHz and to 95 MHz in the 1710MHz-2690MHz range. The regulator is also considering applying an 80 MHz spectrum cap for the 3300MHz-3700MHz frequencies and intends to make all 400 MHz in this range available for 5G services. Earlier this year, in October, MinTIC renewed Claro and Movistar’s 1900 MHz spectrum licenses, while requiring the operators to update their technology and improve their coverage and quality of services.

In terms of 4G download speeds, Opensignal users on Tigo experienced the fastest average download speeds of 18.7 Mbps. Movistar and Tigo users saw declines in average 4G download speeds, of 0.5 and 2.1 Mbps respectively, while Claro users observed an increase of 1 Mbps. In addition, OpenSignal users on WOM networks enjoyed average 4G download speeds of 14.5 Mbps, which led to a statistical tie with Claro for second place. These changes resulted in Tigo’s lead over second-placed competitors decrease from 6.9 to around four Mbps.

In 2013 Claro merged with Comcel, dropping the name Comcel. They are now the market leaders in Colombia with the best nationwide coverage and a 48% market share. 4G/LTE on 2600 MHz (Band 7) is available for prepaid in about 200 towns and 28 capitals served by its network.

Claro in Colombia has announced modernization of it's network and hence switching off 2G. The press release does not mention 3G but the 3G network will be around for a while. 4G coverage is improving but has a long way to gohttps://t.co/cATwyaC1v4#2G #3G #3G4G5G #2G3Gshutdown

— Zahid Ghadialy (@zahidtg) May 16, 2022

In May 2022, Claro Colombia announced its intention to switch off all 2G services by December 2022 in order to re-farm more spectrum for 4G and for a possible 5G launch.

In 2014 the merger of the two smallest networks in Colombia UNE and Tigo was finalised. The new joined network is marketed mostly under the name of Tigo. They remain the smallest major network in the country with slightly less coverage and 4G/LTE is available for prepaid on 1700 MHz (Band 4).

Tigo wins all but one of the Open Signal awards outright. The only exception is 4G Coverage Experience, which Claro successfully defends and claims outright for the fifth time in a row. Tigo increased its lead over its competitors in Upload Speed Experience and 4G Availability categories, but its lead in Download Speed Experience over Claro declined. 

In May 2021 Millicom International Cellular (MIC) announced that its Tigo Colombia subsidiary will become the first operator in Latin America to deploy Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture. The rollout will be carried out in partnership with Parallel Wireless and deliver 4G service coverage at 362 rural sites. 

Telefónica acquired the former state-owned Colombia Telecomunicaciones in 2006 and sells it under its brand name of Movistar. It's now the 2nd operator in the country giving good coverage and speed. 4G/LTE has started in 5 main cities – Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla and Bucaramanga on 1700 MHz (Band 4) and 77 municipalities. 

WOM announced in August 2021 that it signed up one million subscribers since it launched in April 2021. The operator attracted new customers by offering plans, which undercut its competitors’ prices by 40%. With a new aggressive player in the market, managing subscriber churn will become an even greater challenge for the established mobile operators in Colombia. Maintaining high quality of mobile network experience will remain crucial to retain existing customers and attract new ones. 

DirecTV Colombia – a subsidiary of US telecoms giant AT&T – has reportedly switched on a fixed-wireless 5G service in selected parts of Bogota. According to Tecno Movida, the network has gone live in Kenedy and Engativa, and utilises equipment from Ericsson, Qualcomm and Gemtek. The network, which includes a cloud native 5G core and uses Massive MIMO technology, is capable of supporting download speeds of up to 100Mbps.

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, satellite pay-TV provider DirecTV Colombia won a 4G concession in June 2013, securing 2×15MHz of FDD-LTE spectrum and a 40MHz block of TD-LTE spectrum in the 2600MHz band. The operator went on to launch its LTE-based 4G wireless broadband service in July 2014 and served 187,322 4G subscribers as of 31 December 2019.

Uruguay is a Land of Opportunity and Connectivity

 

Uruguay is a nation with few inhabitants, a small territory and a scarcity of mineral resources. However, the country has managed to progress steadily into one of the most stable countries in the area, ranking third in the Human Development Index (right after Chile and Argentina) and number 55 in the world, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Uruguay has also one of South America’s highest literacy rates (over 98%), the telecommunications network is 100% digital, and the internet penetration rate is one of the highest in Latin America (90%). 4G/LTE is available in 90% of the country, up from 64% in June 2019.  Household broadband internet access is 79%; over 70% of it through fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) systems.

It would be fair to say that Uruguay has an advanced telecom market, with excellent infrastructure and one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Latin America. Fixed-line teledensity is also particularly high for the region, while mobile penetration is the second highest after Panama. In terms of computer penetration, Uruguay tops all other countries in the region by a considerable margin, and this has facilitated growth in fixed-line broadband adoption.

The mobile market is dominated by Antel, with Telefónica’s Movistar in second place and América Móvil’s Claro third. All three operators offer mobile broadband through 3G and LTE networks. Operators have achieved nationwide 3G coverage and the number of mobile broadband subscribers continues to grow. Antel has been at the forefront with LTE services, though the auction of multi-band spectrum in August 2017 has also enabled Movistar and Claro to widen the reach of their LTE offers.

In April 2019 Antel launched a commercial 5G network, though limited in reach. At the end of 2019, spectrum in the 5G-suitable range was auctioned, enabling operators to launch 5G services. The regulator is working on a spectrum and connectivity policy that emphasises 5G.

Antel dominates the mobile market with a 51.5% market share of Uruguay’s 5.33 million mobile lines. Telefónica’s Movistar is second with 30.5% of the market followed by América Móvil’s Claro at 18%.  

Coverage and speed are pretty good for Latin American standards. But frequencies are very diverse. While Antel has 2G and 3G on "European bands", Movistar and Claro use "American frequencies". 

In the latest Open Signal report on mobile network experience report in Uruguay, every mobile operator wins outright in at least one category. Antel continues to claim both speed awards: Download Speed Experience and Upload Speed Experience  along with the 4G Coverage Experience award. Movistar comes first in 4G Availability and Games Experience ending the three-way tie for the latter that existed in the last report and claiming sole victory. Claro wins the Video Experience award, while Claro and Movistar remain joint winners for Voice App Experience.

Antel stands for Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, the state-owned, national provider of telecommunication. It has a monopoly for landlines, but on mobile networks, it competes with Movistar and Claro. Still, it's the market leader with about half of all cellular customers and the best network in the country. 4G LTE covers nearly everywhere, and 4.5G LTE Advanced is available in select cities.

Uruguay made history in April 2019, when Antel claimed to have launched the first 5G network in Latin America, using the 28 GHz band and infrastructure supplied by Nokia. However, Antel’s 5G deployment was pre-commercial, with the limited coverage and targeted at business customers  the operator is yet to offer 5G services to individual smartphone users. Antel’s 5G network is still in the testing phase, with trials conducted in inland areas. The operator has invested heavily in its operations  $134 million in 2020 and spent a further $145 million in 2021, partly to increase its 4G territorial coverage to 99% between 2021 and 2022, especially in towns with less than 500 inhabitants.

Movistar by Spanish Telefónica is the second provider in the country. It has good coverage on "American" frequencies (see above). 3G coverage is about 50%, 4G/LTE has started in Montevideo and is given out for free when you have a 4G SIM card.

Claro by Mexican América Móvil is the smallest network in the country on "American" frequencies. 4G started in 2014 in Montevideo and has spread to other towns.

Claro Uruguay has begun technical tests of 5G in the 28GHz band after receiving authorization from the Regulatory Unit of Communications Services (Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones, URSEC). TeleSemana cites a company statement as saying that Claro has adapted it core network and will be using equipment from Finnish vendor Nokia.

Related Posts:

• Operator Watch Blog - Uruguay on 5G: Leading Latin America 

Guyana still has plenty of Fake 4G

The only English-speaking nation in South America, Guyana has a small population which traditionally had one of the lowest GDP rates in the region. Although GDP growth had been steady in recent years, the sale of oil from offshore reserves which started in February 2020 promises to completely transform the economy. With good stewardship, oil revenue has the potential to lead to a major overhaul of the country’s infrastructure, including the aging telecom networks.

The incumbent telco Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T, rebranded as GTT in late 2015) is controlled by the US-based Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN). The company competes with Digicel in the mobile market but retains a monopoly over fixed-line services. Although GTT’s fixed-line monopoly was renewed for 20 years in December 2010 it drew to a close following the passing of the 2016 Telecommunications Act. However, since 2017 there have been delays in negotiations between the government and GTT relating to the terms of the market liberalisation and so the monopoly has been retained in practice: GTT still claims that it enjoys a monopoly on international voice and data services until 2030. Digicel is expected to launch competing services in the fixed-line market as soon as it is able to do so. In 2019 the government signed an MoU with ATN regarding licensing terms and the benefits expected to develop from market liberalisation. However, relations between the company and government are fraught, not least in relation to tax arears amounting to some $44 million.

In the mobile sector GTT’s mobile unit Cellink competes with Digicel Guyana. Both operate GSM/GPRS networks while Cellink in mid-2017 also launched a limited LTE service.

2G is on GSM 900 MHz. 3G/HSPA+ has started on 850 MHz in May 2016, but it's branded as "4G" by both operators. Check that your phone supports 3G on 850 MHz or you'll be limited to EDGE speeds. Real 4G/LTE has been started in March 2017 by GTT+ in Essequibo so far only to be spread to more towns later on 700 MHz (band 28).

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is the incumbent provider in the country. Digicel arrived in 2006 as second provider for much needed competition in the mobile sector. In 2016 the government decided to break up this duopoly and may admit more players soon.

In 2018 the Suriname government shut down what it claims was an illegal microwave link providing cross-border communications between Digicel Suriname and Digicel Guyana. The switch-off led to widespread disruption of data services to Digicel’s subscribers in Guyana. Guyanese fixed line incumbent Guyana Telegraph and Telephone Company (GTT) retains a monopoly on international voice and data transmission despite a near decade-long effort by the Guyanese government to negotiate and end exclusivity but has previously accused its cellular rival of illegally bypassing its network.

Mobile coverage is present only along the coast and in some river valleys up to Linden and Bartica. Most inland areas are not covered by the networks and a satellite telephone is required. Speeds are reasonable according to OpenSignal on 3G with 1-2 Mbit/s, but latency is rather high.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is the incumbent provider in the country. The US-owned company is the only landline operator, the biggest internet provider, has still a monopoly on international lines and operates the only fibre optic submarine cables.

It's mobile network was rebranded from Cellink plus to GTT+ in 2015. They have a slightly better mobile coverage compared with Digicel.

2G is on GSM 900 MHz. 3G/HSPA+ has started on 850 MHz in May 2016. It's branded as "4G". 4G/LTE has started on 700 MHz (band 28) in some major towns. In 2019 Georgetown, Great Diamond, Lusignan, Rosignol, Blairmont and New Amsterdam are covered by 4G/LTE.

Digicel Guyana is part of the international Digicel Group. They started in 2006 as second provider and are not fully on par with GTT yet.

2G is on GSM 900 Mhz. 3G/HSPA+ has started on 850 MHz in May 2016. It's branded as "4G". There is no real 4G/LTE yet with Digicel.

The Telecommunications Agency of Guyana has confirmed plans to issue three 700MHz spectrum licences this month.

As reported by Guyana’s Official Gazette, GTT (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company) will receive permits for the blocks covering 708MHz-718MHz/763MHz-773MHz, E-Networks will be granted the 718MHz-738MHz/773MHz-793MHz holding, and U-Mobile (which uses the Digicel brand) will receive the 738MHz-748MHz/793MHz-803MHz blocks.

The licence issue follows an extensive overhaul of regulatory frameworks in Guyana’s telecoms sector, which was implemented in October 2020. This was the result of more than a decade of reform attempts.

Many reforms were implemented, including regulations surrounding spectrum management and frequency authorisation for individual operators. The latter of these will require amendment once the new licences are issued.

Misinformation and Fake News to delay 5G in Bolivia

Although Bolivia had enjoyed strong economic growth prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, GDP remains among the lowest in South America. Many areas of the country outside the main cities are poor and undeveloped, and there is a sizeable proportion of the population which live in remote valleys and areas where telecom infrastructure has been chronically neglected. As a result, the penetration of telecom services is relatively low.

State-owned Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Entel) is the country’s incumbent long-distance operator, also offering local telephony, DSL, and pay TV services. Its subsidiary Entel Movil is Bolivia’s largest mobile network provider.

Bolivia has almost twenty times as many mobile phone subscribers as fixed line connections, and the trend towards fixed-mobile substitution continues. Besides Entel, two other companies offer mobile telephony: Tigo, wholly owned by Luxembourg-based Millicom International, and NuevaTel, trading as Viva and controlled by Trilogy International. A proposed deal to merge Millicom’s business units in the region with those of Liberty Latin America was called off in February 2019.

Due to the poor quality, high cost, and poor reach of DSL, mobile networks have become the principal platform for voice services and data access. The take-up of services based on LTE has risen steadily as network builds have developed. Tigo launched the first LTE services in mid-2014, followed by Viva in mid-2015. By early 2021 both companies’ networks reached more than 95% of the population. About 92% of all internet accesses are via smartphones.

2G and 3G is on 850 and 1900 MHz with variable coverage. 4G/LTE started in 2013/4/5 on all three providers: Entel uses 700 MHz (B13), Tigo 700 (B17) and 1700 MHz (AWS, B4) and Viva 1700 (AWS, B4) MHz only. 4G/LTE is now given out by all providers to prepaid customers without surcharges.

Coverage and speeds can be very different according to location. Generally, they are a bit lower than in neighbouring countries, but operators need to invest heavily to catch up.

Entel for Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A. is the state-owned incumbent provider in Bolivia. It's still the market leader with a share of 44% of national customers in 2015. It provides the best coverage even in remote areas. It started with 4G/LTE on 700 MHz (B13) in 2014 in the cities of La Paz, El Alto, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. Their 4G footprint is expanded gradually to other departmental capital cities and larger cities

Entel has announced that it has successfully trialled 5G at the Expocruz 2019 event in Santa Cruz. The tests were carried out in conjunction with Chinese vendor Huawei and achieved downlink transmission speeds of up to 1Gbps. Entel claims that the trial makes it the first Bolivian mobile operator to demonstrate 5G technology.

Tigo run by internattional Millicom Group is the second provider in Bolivia with a market share of 29%. It was the first to deploy 4G/LTE in 2013, which has spread to at least one city covered in each of Bolivia’s eleven departments: 4G coverage. 2G and 3G are on 850 MHz. 4G is on bands 4 (1700 MHz) and 17 (700 MHz).

Viva run by Nuevatel PCS is the smallest of the three providers with a 27% market share, but the only one who gained customers by its very low rates. Where it has coverage, it sells data at the lowest prices. It was the last to start 4G/LTE in summer 2015 in the La Paz area: 4G coverage area. 2G is on 1900, 3G is on 850 MHz, 4G is on band 4.

Stupidity is international.

Burning of 5G masts started in Bolivia. Problem is, they don't have a 5G network. https://t.co/TJUGRVH1Ai

— Chris Harrod (@chris_harrod) June 17, 2020

There are no plans or announcements on 5G in Bolivia. Last year a lot of mobile masts were destroyed due to massive amount of misinformation spread about Covid. As a result, Entel, the state-owned telecommunications company headquartered in Bolivia, recently piloted an automatic traffic monitoring trial in Chile, utilising 5G wireless connectivity and AI. It is much safer to wait for any 5G trials in Bolivia.

Related Posts:

• Operator Watch Blog: Millicom Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation with Tigo!
• 3G4G: 5G Health & Safety 

Peru wants more 4G and Open RAN

Peru is the third largest country in South America, after Brazil and Argentina. It's roughly over three times the size of Japan or Germany or five times as large as UK. Having said that, its population is just over 33 million. It is made up of a variety of landscapes, from mountains and beaches to deserts and rain forests. Most people live along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, where the capital, Lima, is located.

Peru’s fixed-line teledensity remains among the lowest in South America, with obstacles to fixed-line growth including widespread poverty, fixed-to-mobile substitution, expensive telephone services, and geographical inaccessibility in the rugged Andean mountains and lowland Amazon jungles. The government is addressing these shortcomings via ambitious investment plans to deploy telecom infrastructure and services in underserved areas. Most of the work was complete by the end of 2017, when eight regional fibre-based networks were connected to the National Fibre-Optic Backbone.

Broadband penetration in Peru is considerably lower than the Latin American average, despite government efforts to encourage the development of the sector.

Mobile penetration is on a par with the regional average, though high penetration is attributed to the popular use (especially among urban dwellers) of multiple mobile subscriptions. This phenomenon is becoming less pronounced as network operators respond to market competition by providing generous data and voice bundles (so obviating the need for SIM cards from different networks) and as the regulator endeavours to remove illegal devices and unregistered SIM cards from the market.

Telefónica Perú (trading as Movistar Perú) is the leading player in the mobile market, followed by Claro Perú, Entel Perú and Viettel (trading as Bitel). The market still has considerable potential to expand, especially given the country’s low fixed broadband penetration which has encouraged the uptake of mobile data services. By late 2020, the mobile broadband penetration rate reached 69% of the population.

2G/GSM and 3G/UMTS are on 850 and 1900 MHz on the three major operators Movistar, Claro and Entel. 4G/LTE has started in 2014 in major cities on AWS frequency 1700/2100 MHz on Movistar and Entel and 1900 MHz on Claro and is already open for prepaid. Soon on all three operators the 700 MHz frequency (Band 28) will be added. Bitel has a limited 3G network so far on 900 and 1900 MHz and launched 4G/LTE on 900 MHz (Band 8).

In the most recent OpenSignal report Entel was the dominant operator as far as the awards table was concerned, winning three out of seven awards outright and jointly winning another three. This time round, both it and Movistar each hold two awards outright and two jointly. However, Entel remains the operator with the best scores for our two speed metrics — Download Speed Experience and Upload Speed Experience. Neither operator has been able to challenge Claro’s grip on the 4G Coverage Experience award.

Also, Bitel users’ mobile experience has improved very significantly since the previous report, with impressive gains seen across Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience and 4G Availability. With the exception of 4G Availability, much of the improvement made up for the lost ground seen back in the August 2020 report, when many scores dropped significantly due to the headwinds created by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Bitel’s scores in this report for Video Experience, Download Speed Experience and Upload Speed Experience have risen more strongly than other operators and are up by 6 points (15.1%), 1 Mbps (23.8%) and 0.6 Mbps (30.5%) respectively from the scores in Opensignal’s February 2020 report.

Although operators are yet to launch commercial 5G services for smartphone users and the auctioning of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands will not take place until 3Q 2021, there have still been a number of interesting developments in the Peruvian mobile market since the last report. These include the news that the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) is seeking to invest around $413 million to bring 4G connectivity to more than 2,600 communities. In addition, MTC has also published draft network sharing regulations that it believes will cut the cost of network rollout and make it easier to serve rural areas.

Movistar in Peru, owned by Spanish Telefónica, is the biggest provider and market leader in the country. It has more than 1/2 of all mobile customers and the best coverage (coverage map). But this comes at the highest prices. Also, you should keep in mind when you are travelling overland between major cities many hours without any signal are common.

4G/LTE has started in 2014 on the AWS frequency of 1700/2100 MHz (band 4) and added 700 MHz (band 28) which is open to all prepaid tariffs. Movistar guarantees speeds of 5-130 kbps on 2G, 0.4-1 Mbps on 3G and 2-5 Mbps on 4G/LTE. They use carrier aggregation of both LTE bands in the capital for the highest speeds.

Claro is the big rival of Movistar in Peru. It has more than 1/3 of all mobile customers and only a slightly lower coverage at lower prices.

4G/LTE has started in major cities and is available on all prepaid plans. Unlike its competitors, Claro uses the 1900 MHz (band 2) frequency for it, which is more accessible to many devices from out of the US. In 2016/7 it added the 700 MHz (band 28) in Lima and 38 more towns for LTE. In and around Lima they have added support for 2600 MHz (band 7) 4G+ is available using both bands.

Their LTE coverage is on par and partly surpasses that of Movistar, if you don't have a device that carries band 4. However, you should keep in mind when you are travelling overland between major cities many hours without any signal are common.

As in many other countries, the incumbent operator Movistar offers the best coverage, but at higher rates. Claro as challenger has a heavy marketing footprint all over the country, while Movistar is less visible. Despite that, where there is Claro, there is always Movistar too. Either next door (literally) or in the same Claro-colored small shop/street vendor.

This operator has launched commercial fixed-wireless broadband services via 5G technology, having received authorisation from the telecom ministry to use its existing 3.5GHz spectrum for the service earlier this year.

The Chilean market leader Entel bought Peruvian network Nextel in 2013 and changed its name to Entel in 2014. It's still building up its network and lacks the coverage of the big two providers, but can be reasonable if you stick to the cities. Please note however coverage is very limited in the Loreto Department (Amazonas region). There is no (zero) siginal when travelling by boat between Yurimaguas and Iquitos.

4G/LTE has started in 2014 in Lima on the 1700 MHz AWS (B4) frequency and spread out to more places. According to OpenSignal's country report compiled in 2019, it's the best 4G/LTE network in the country what speed is concerned and matches Movistar's coverage of 85% covered by 4G networks.

This operator as also launched a fixed-wireless broadband service utilising 5G technology on the 3.5GHz band. Both Entel and  Claro, were granted permission by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones, MTC) to utilise its existing frequencies in the band to offer a fixed-wireless internet service using 5G New Radio (NR) technology. Entel’s 5G plan provides downlink speeds of up to 50Mbps for PEN150 (USD40.13) per month, plus an up-front fee of PEN1,499 for the modem and installation.

 

Bitel is the latest arrival in Peru. They are the Latin American branch of Vietnamese army-owned Viettel and started in 2014 with an own network in the country. It's in a rather limited area (see coverage map) on 900 MHz and 1900 MHz. The rather unusal 900 MHz spectrum is used for 3G, added by 1900 MHz. In 2016 Bitel launched its 4G/LTE network through 1,750 4G base stations, covering 500 population centres on the rather unusual band 8 (900 MHz). It has a wide 4G coverage in Peru now, but focuses on rural areas which are not covered by other operators. So it's only recommended if you go to these places. In an OpenSignal test in 2019 speeds were much lower than on the other three networks.

"'Internet Para Todos' is two years old and has contributed to connecting more than 2 million Peruvians in rural areas with 4G internet" https://t.co/CWPJT2yNo9 @TelecomInfraP @Parallel_tw #OpenRAN #4G #3G4G5G https://t.co/hMCagMKI8W

— Zahid Ghadialy (@zahidtg) June 7, 2021

Back in 2018, Telefónica announced “Internet para todos” (“Internet for all”), a collaborative project to connect the unconnected in Latin America. The Initiative is aimed at connecting the more than 100 million people in Latin America with no internet access. Telefónica agreed collaboration with Facebook on key technological and commercial innovations and collaboration with multiple stakeholders: rural operators, technology firms and regulators.

Parallel Wireless have been deploying OpenRAN sites with them and even did a press release last year to say hundreds of sites have been deployed.

Last month Telefónica announced that 'Internet Para Todos' is two years old and has contributed to connecting more than 2 million Peruvians in rural areas with 4G internet. Internet para Todos expects to close 2021 with 13,000 communities with high-speed mobile internet access.

Related Posts: 

• The 3G4G Blog: Telefonica, Mayutel, Facebook & Parallel Wireless: Connecting the Unconnected in Peru
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Internet Para Todos (IPT) Making Progress in Connecting The Unconnected Peruvians
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog - Internet para todos: Telefonica and Parallel Wireless on a mission to connect 100 Million Unconnected