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.

Sri Lanka’s Mobile Market Enters the 5G Era After Consolidation

Sri Lanka’s telecoms market has moved through a difficult period since the economic crisis of 2022, when operators had to deal with currency depreciation, higher energy costs, power shortages and weaker consumer spending. The market now appears to be stabilising, but growth is no longer coming from basic mobile adoption. Instead, the story is increasingly about consolidation, mobile broadband usage, spectrum, and the first phase of commercial 5G.

According to data from GSMA Intelligence, by late 2025, Sri Lanka had 30.3 million cellular mobile connections, equivalent to around 130% of the population. That high penetration reflects the familiar pattern of multiple SIM ownership rather than universal individual adoption. At the same time, the total number of connections fell slightly, down by 314,000 or 1.0% during 2025, suggesting a saturated market still shaped by economic pressures.

On the technology side, the market continues to shift towards higher-speed networks. Around 91.3% of all connections are now classified as “broadband”, meaning they operate on 3G, 4G, or 5G networks. However, this should be interpreted with caution: not all of these subscriptions actively use mobile data, as some plans remain limited to voice and SMS services.

The operator landscape has also become simpler. Dialog Axiata completed its acquisition of Airtel Lanka in 2024, reducing the mobile market to three main network operators: Dialog, SLT-Mobitel and Hutch. This consolidation gives Dialog greater scale and spectrum efficiency, but it also increases the importance of regulatory oversight to ensure competition remains healthy.

The most significant change came in December 2025, when TRCSL awarded 5G spectrum following Sri Lanka’s first spectrum auction. Dialog and SLT-Mobitel each received 100 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band, while Dialog also secured 200 MHz in the 27 GHz band for high-capacity 5G deployments. This formally moved Sri Lanka from years of trials and pre-commercial activity into the commercial 5G phase.

Dialog Axiata remains the clear market leader in Sri Lanka, with a subscriber base of over 19 million users, giving it an estimated market share of around 55–60% of mobile connections. The operator has consistently led on technology, being the first to introduce successive generations of mobile networks including commercial 5G services, and continues to expand its next-generation footprint through partnerships such as its 5G RAN deployment with Ericsson and is now leading the country’s transition to 5G, having launched commercial services with over 220 live sites initially serving more than 1.5 million users, and rapidly expanding to over 800 sites nationwide within months of launch. Dialog’s early 5G rollout is underpinned by a strong spectrum position, including holdings in both the 3.5 GHz mid-band for coverage and 27 GHz mmWave spectrum for high-capacity use cases, positioning it well for advanced consumer and enterprise applications . The operator has further strengthened its leadership through the acquisition of Airtel Lanka, enabling greater scale, spectrum efficiency, and network synergies in an increasingly consolidated market.

Hutch, the Sri Lankan operation of CK Hutchison Holdings, remains the smallest of the country’s three mobile network operators but continues to position itself as a value-focused challenger. Hutch serves around 3.6–3.8 million subscribers, giving it an estimated market share of 10–12%, and positioning it as the third-largest provider.

The operator gained scale following its 2018 acquisition and integration of Etisalat Lanka, creating a combined entity with an estimated market share of around 25–26% and establishing it as the third-largest provider, just behind SLT-Mobitel. Hutch has since focused on expanding 4G coverage, having initially launched LTE services in the Western Province in 2018 before extending its footprint across the country, particularly in densely populated areas, while maintaining a strong emphasis on competitively priced data offerings.

On the technology front, Hutch has demonstrated early 5G readiness, conducting its first live 5G trial in March 2021 at its One Galle Face experience centre after receiving a trial licence from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. The trial, carried out in partnership with ZTE, achieved peak speeds of around 1.8 Gbps alongside low latency performance and showcased use cases including cloud gaming, remote collaboration, and high-definition video streaming. Despite these early demonstrations, Hutch has yet to move to large-scale commercial 5G deployment, reflecting a more measured investment approach compared to larger rivals.

SLT-Mobitel, the mobile arm of Sri Lanka Telecom, has a legacy stretching back over 160 years, originating with the first telegraphic circuit between Galle and Colombo in 1858, and the country’s first international telegraph link to India.. Today, SLT-Mobitel serves an estimated 6–6.5 million subscribers, representing roughly 18–20% of the market, positioning it as the second-largest operator after Dialog.

The operator has expanded its pre-commercial 5G network to key cities including Colombo, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Galle, and Jaffna, offering both mobile broadband and fixed wireless access (FWA) services. In 2021, SLT Group CEO Lalith Seneviratne confirmed plans for a pre-commercial 5G launch using spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band allocated by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, initially targeting enterprise applications. Full commercial deployment is contingent on final spectrum licensing, with an estimated one-year rollout period once approvals are issued. SLT-Mobitel has earmarked around USD 100 million for 5G network deployment, in addition to approximately USD 15 million for spectrum acquisition.

Sri Lanka’s mobile market has evolved rapidly since the economic turbulence of 2022, moving from a period of consolidation and cautious investment to one of technological advancement and 5G deployment. Dialog Axiata, with its dominant 55–60% market share, continues to lead the market through aggressive 5G rollout, spectrum strength, and the integration of Airtel Lanka, securing its position at the forefront of innovation. SLT-Mobitel leverages its long-standing infrastructure legacy and strategic investment in pre-commercial 5G to maintain its role as the second-largest operator, targeting both urban and enterprise users. Meanwhile, Hutch has carved out a value-focused niche, expanding 4G coverage nationwide and demonstrating early 5G capability through trials in partnership with ZTE, positioning itself as a smaller but agile competitor.

With 5G networks now operational in key cities, and operators investing in LTE densification and spectrum refarming for wider coverage, Sri Lanka is entering a new phase of digital connectivity. While challenges such as device affordability, rural coverage, and ROI considerations remain, the combination of network upgrades, regulatory support, and market consolidation suggests that Sri Lanka is well on its way to becoming a mature, 5G-enabled mobile market, offering both consumers and enterprises faster, more reliable, and innovative mobile services.

Overall, Sri Lanka is entering a more mature phase of mobile market development. Subscriber growth is limited, the number of operators has reduced, and 5G is now moving from demonstrations to commercial service. The key questions are no longer whether Sri Lanka will launch 5G, but how quickly coverage will expand, how affordable 5G devices and tariffs will be, and whether operators can turn new spectrum into profitable consumer and enterprise services.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Dialog Launches First Immersive Metaverse, Futureverse, in Sri Lanka
• Operator Watch Blog: Sri Lanka Mobile Operators struggling in face of Rising Operational Costs and Inflation 

5G, Mergers and Momentum in Thailand’s Mobile Sector

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that Thailand had 99.5 million cellular mobile connections at the beginning of 2025. It is common for people to maintain more than one mobile connection, so the number of connections often exceeds the total population. Someone might have one SIM for personal use while relying on another for work, and the rise of eSIMs has made it easier to manage multiple profiles on a single device.

According to GSMA Intelligence, the number of mobile connections in Thailand was equal to 139 percent of the population in January 2025. Trend data shows that connections grew by 734 thousand, or 0.7 percent, between early 2024 and the start of 2025.

All mobile connections in Thailand now qualify as broadband, meaning they operate on 3G, 4G or 5G networks. This does not necessarily mean they use cellular data, as some subscriptions are limited to voice and SMS. Broadband figures therefore should not be interpreted as a direct indicator of mobile internet usage.

Thailand’s mobile market has undergone rapid change in recent years, driven by consolidation and fast-advancing 5G adoption. AIS, DTAC and True remain the sector’s most recognised names, although the competitive landscape has shifted significantly following the merger of DTAC and True.

AIS is Thailand’s largest mobile operator by revenue. At the end of 2024 it held around 49 percent of the revenue market share, underscoring its dominance in financial performance. By mid-2025 AIS had close to 46 million mobile subscribers, making it a formidable competitor in terms of scale as well.

The company has been at the forefront of 5G deployment. AIS continues to expand coverage while also working on innovative monetisation models. One example is its “5G Mode” offerings, which are tailored for heavy users such as gamers and live streamers who require superior performance. AIS has also been active in acquiring new spectrum, such as the 2100 MHz and 2300 MHz bands, to strengthen its 5G capacity.

Beyond mobile, AIS is reinforcing its presence in fixed broadband through acquisitions such as 3BB, which allows it to bundle services across mobile, internet, and entertainment.

Before merging with True, DTAC was Thailand’s third-largest mobile operator. It served millions of customers and competed on both pricing and service innovation. DTAC’s merger with True in 2023 fundamentally reshaped the market by consolidating customer bases and resources into a much larger entity. 

Although DTAC as a standalone brand has largely been absorbed into True, its legacy remains important for understanding the current market balance. The merger created a powerful player capable of challenging AIS more directly, both in subscriber numbers and infrastructure investment.

True Corporation is now a much larger operator following its merger with DTAC. By mid-2025 the combined company reported around 48.5 million subscribers, making it the largest provider in Thailand by customer base.

True has also taken a strong lead in 5G coverage. By early 2025 it reported 93 percent nationwide 5G coverage, giving it a significant advantage in terms of network reach. To sustain this lead, True continues to acquire spectrum across multiple frequency bands, ensuring both urban and rural areas gain access to next-generation mobile services.

The operator also pursues a convergence strategy, bundling mobile services with broadband, pay-TV, and digital content. This approach helps it to strengthen customer loyalty and increase average revenue per user.

Together, AIS and True (with DTAC now integrated) dominate Thailand’s mobile sector. AIS leads in revenue share, while True edges ahead in subscriber numbers and 5G coverage. The rivalry between these two giants is shaping the pace of 5G rollout, the quality of mobile services, and the innovation in bundled offerings across the country.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog - Case Study: AIS Thailand’s Transformation to 5G-Driven Autonomous Operations
• Private Networks Technology Blog: 5G Private Networks Driving Industry Transformation in APAC
• The 3G4G Blog: Detection of Real-world Fake Base Station (FBS) Attacks in Thailand
• Operator Watch Blog: 5G lights up Thailand’s digital future
• Operator Watch Blog: Thailand gets 5G Spectrum but no demand for 1800 MHz and 3.5 GHz coming in 2021 

Rogers, Bell, Telus... and Freedom? Mapping the Future of Canadian Mobile

The Canadian telecommunications market continues to experience steady growth as operators focus on network upgrades. A significant portion of their investments has been directed toward LTE infrastructure to meet the increasing consumer demand for mobile data services, alongside further investments in 5G technology. Regulatory initiatives have supported these investment efforts by ensuring operators have access to the necessary spectrum for 5G development. Spectrum in the 600MHz and 3.5GHz bands has already been auctioned, with additional auctions planned through 2024. Notably, in the 3.5GHz band, the regulator allocated 50MHz exclusively for new entrants to foster competition in the wireless market.

Mobile penetration in Canada remains relatively low compared to global standards, providing substantial growth potential. Canada is the world’s second largest country by area, and all that space leaves cell phone coverage stretched pretty thin. Less than 30 percent of Canada’s geographic area is covered by Bell, Rogers, or Telus. Much of the Canadian landscape is sparsely populated, and those areas tend to have less service. However Canadians enjoy extensive LTE and LTE-A infrastructure, with major operators achieving approximately 99% population coverage despite geographical challenges and the remoteness of certain areas. In the 5G segment, Telus and Bell Wireless were early adopters, with Shaw Communications joining the field in May 2018. Currently, operators offer 5G coverage to around 70% of the population.

To promote competition, the government has reserved specific spectrum blocks for new market entrants and restricted agreements among operators that would lead to regional or national spectrum concentration. For instance, about 43% of the spectrum auctioned in the 600MHz band has been set aside for smaller operators to encourage a more competitive market landscape.

One of the most significant developments in promoting competition came from the Rogers–Shaw merger, which led to the divestiture of Freedom Mobile to Quebecor-owned Vidéotron. This move was mandated by regulators to preserve market competitiveness and has positioned Freedom as the fourth national carrier. Under new ownership, Freedom Mobile now benefits from enhanced spectrum holdings and access to national roaming agreements, enabling it to expand its reach beyond traditional strongholds in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. With new pricing strategies and 5G rollout plans, Freedom is emerging as a more formidable alternative to the Big Three, especially in urban markets.

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 40.44 million cellular mobile connections in Canada 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 Canada were equivalent to 103.8 percent of the total population in January 2024. The number of mobile connections in Canada increased by 1.8 million (+4.7 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

According the most recent OpenSignal report on Canada: mobile operator Rogers continues to win the most awards, either joint or outright, taking home five total wins. Not only does Rogers win both national awards for consistency, Reliability Experience and Consistent Quality, it also does well regionally, topping the leaderboard for Consistent Quality and Reliability Experience in five and six provinces, respectively.

In terms of awards won, Bell is hot on Rogers’ heels, just one total win separates the two. Bell performs especially well for the two coverage metrics, both nationally and regionally. Bell is a joint winner for Coverage Experience in all seven regions examined and shares the top spot for Availability in all but British Columbia. Telus wins two awards this time around, both joint victories with Bell, and performs well regionally for Games Experience, Download Speed Experience and Coverage Experience.

Bell has Canada’s largest 4G network, meaning customers are unlikely to fall back to 3G coverage.

Most of Bell’s coverage focuses on Canada’s major urban centres: every big city in the country is blanketed by the network. Alberta and Saskatchewan are particularly well-represented by Bell’s coverage.

Outside of their cell phone network, Bell also has customers covered with more than 4,000 Wifi hotspots across the country. The company’s wireless signal can be found in every province, although more remote areas have little to no coverage.

Bell Canada uses the 20–80 MHz and 10–100 MHz bands for its 5G network. Bell 5G+ is Bell's next-generation 5G network, which uses the 3500 MHz spectrum.  Bell 5G+ is available to over 51% of the Canadian population and is expected to be fully deployed in the coming years. Bell claims that its 5G network is the fastest in Canada, with average download speeds of 158.7 Mbps.

Rogers’ network covers less than 20% of Canada by area but but reaches 97 percent of the country’s population, thanks to prominent placement in all major urban centres. Its biggest weak point is its limited coverage in the country’s less densely populated provinces, namely the Maritimes and the Territories.

Rogers Communications launched Canada's first 5G network in January 2020, initially deploying in major cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Partnering with Ericsson, Rogers has since expanded its 5G coverage to over 2,200 communities, reaching 31 million Canadians and providing more coverage than any other 5G network in the country. In December 2020, Rogers began rolling out its standalone (SA) 5G core network in select markets, enhancing network capabilities and performance. By March 2022, it claimed the first commercial 5G SA launch in Canada. 

The company has also been at the forefront of technological advancements, conducting the first successful test of 5G network slicing in Canada in early 2023, with plans for commercial deployment to support various applications. 

Rogers utilizes a range of frequency bands for its 5G services, including 600MHz (n71), 2.5GHz (n41), and 3.5GHz (n78), to balance coverage and capacity.  In June 2022, the company activated its 3500MHz 5G services, further enhancing network performance.  Additionally, in November 2023, Rogers secured nationwide 3.8GHz spectrum in Canada's third 5G spectrum auction, positioning the company for future network enhancements. 

The company's commitment to expanding and enhancing its 5G network underscores its dedication to providing Canadians with reliable and advanced wireless services. Rogers said it has invested over CAD 40 billion in its networks over the last decade, including CAD 4 billion in capital investments in 2024. 

Many Canadians may not realize that Bell and Telus use the same cell phone towers across the country. That means Telus’ coverage also reaches every province, every urban area in Canada, and 99% of the population.

Telus’ Mobility network typically performs slightly faster than Bell’s, so Telus has a reputation for reliability. Telus covers 28.8% of Canada by area –the same as Bell and nearly 10 percent higher than Rogers.

Telus launched its 5G network in 2020 and has since expanded coverage to major markets like Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. The company has partnered with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung to build its 5G infrastructure. Telus’ 5G Standalone (SA) network, introduced in 2023, offers enhanced speeds, reduced latency, and new opportunities for smart city applications and IoT solutions.

Canada’s mobile operators are working tirelessly to expand and improve their networks, with a significant focus on 5G technology. Rogers, Bell, and Telus lead the market in terms of coverage and technological advancements, while smaller operators like Freedom Mobile and Videotron provide competitive alternatives in select regions. As 5G continues to evolve, Canadians can look forward to faster speeds, more reliable connections, and innovative applications that enhance everyday life

Related Posts:

• Operator Watch Blog: GenAI at Telus
• Operator Watch Blog: Canadians to get 5G Upgrade after conclusion of 3.5 GHz Spectrum Auction 

Data Usage in Estonia is Growing Thanks to Improved Coverage and 5G

According to DataReportal’s key insights on digital adoption and usage in Estonia as of early 2024: Estonia had 1.24 million internet users at the beginning of 2024, with an internet penetration rate of 93.7 percent. In January 2024, Estonia had 1.04 million social media users, representing 78.7 percent of the total population. There were 1.92 million active cellular mobile connections in Estonia in early 2024, equating to 145.7 percent of the total population.

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that many people use more than one mobile connection—such as one for personal use and another for work—making it common for mobile connection figures to exceed the total population count. GSMA Intelligence also reports that the number of mobile connections in Estonia increased by 17 thousand (0.9 percent) from the start of 2023 to the start of 2024.

Investment in Estonia’s telecom market has concentrated on upgrading fixed-line infrastructure and deploying 5G services. Fixed broadband subscribers are gradually transitioning from DSL to fiber, with legacy copper networks being replaced.

The mobile network operators (MNOs) Telia, Elisa, and Tele2 have established comprehensive LTE infrastructure and have recently directed investments towards 5G. Several 5G trials have been conducted, but commercial service launches have been hindered by a lack of available spectrum. The regulatory body began addressing this issue in May 2022 by awarding a 3.5GHz concession to Elisa. A second license will provide sufficient spectrum for national coverage by 2022. Delays in spectrum allocation were partly due to challenges in offering services in areas bordering Russia.

Progressive government policies on broadband infrastructure and an active regulatory regime have also contributed to Estonia achieving one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Europe. Broadband is available through various fixed-line and wireless technologies, including ADSL2+, FttP, cable, Wi-Fi, and WiMAX. Elisa’s consolidation with the main cable company Starman in April 2017 has enabled it to offer a more comprehensive suite of bundled services, enhancing its competitiveness with Telia.

2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G is on 900 and 2100 MHz with good coverage, 4G/LTE has started with all providers on 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz (Bands 3, 7, 20) plus 2100 and 2300 MHz (Bands 1 and 30) on Tele2 all over the country and is generally available for prepaid. 5G has started to be available on some high-data postpaid plans from Telia since November 2020 and on Elisa since June 2022.

Telia Eesti is part of Swedish telecom giant Telia Company, Telia has the best overall coverage in Estonia and focuses heavily on 4G/LTE services.

The major mobile operator in Estonia is Telia and it has a market share of over forty percent. They provide the largest network coverage consisting of 4G and 5G services available in most major cities across the country. Although Telia’s plans are mainly costlier than rivals, they provide more data and speed.

Ericsson and Telia have launched the Baltic region's first enterprise 5G private network, Ericsson Private 5G. This private cellular network became operational in early May at Ericsson’s supply site in Tallinn, Estonia.

Ericsson highlights that the 5G private network’s advanced capabilities, including reliability, predictable latency, security, and speed, enable various use cases such as asset condition monitoring and management, computer vision, digital twins, collaborative robotics, and precise indoor positioning.

The Tallinn supply site is strategically significant to Ericsson’s global supply chain, accounting for nearly half of the company’s new product introductions (NPIs). These NPIs require extensive research and development to ensure the products are relevant, competitive, and scalable, which is crucial for their successful market introduction.

Telia Eesti switched off of its 3G network in September 2023 this has enabled Telia to focus on the build-out of its 4G and 5G networks instead. The company currently has 150 5G base stations in Tallinn.

Elisa is the number two mobile operator in Estonia, owning about 30% of the market. These firms often give the same kind of network coverage that we find in Telia at reasonable prices. Elisa is a little bit slower compared to Telia, but both speeds are sufficient for most users. Elisa Group’s Estonian arm offers competitive rates, especially for family plans and long-term contracts. The company is rapidly deploying 5G in major cities.

With regards to spectrum, in May 2022 Elisa won 130 MHz of spectrum for which it paid EUR 7.2 million. Then in November 2022, it won 2x10 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum which laid the foundation for it's 5G coverage. Finally, in May 2023 Elisa won 800 MHz of 26 GHz spectrum for EUR 1.63 million. It hasn't commercially used the spectrum yet.

Tele2 Eesti is a subsidiary of Tele2 Group, Tele2 boasts the fastest mobile broadband speeds in the country. It has invested significantly in 4G and emerging 5G networks.Tele2 has the smallest share of approximately 20% in the Estonian mobile market. They are the cheapest, but their network coverage is only half of what Telia’s and Elisa’s are. Tele2 is are also among the three operators, their speeds being the slowest but satisfactory for basic internet access.

Back in 2022, Tele2 won the 700 MHz spectrum auction. It already had 3.5 GHz licenses and was also using 2300 MHz band for 5G. According to their press release, the added 700 MHz frequency band would allow them, in addition to better coverage, to offer services that do not require large data volumes, such as Internet of Things (IoT) services. 

Alongside rivals Telia and Elisa, Tele2 obtained 800MHz of spectrum in the 26GHz band back in 2023. It spent EUR1.6 million (US$1.7 million) on 24.7-25.5 GHz despite the fact that there are currently no devices commercially available in Estonia capable of operating via the 26GHz band.

Tele2 previously revealed that Nokia is its primary partner for 5G core networks in the standalone era, with deployment expected to have started during 2021. Nokia said it will deploy standalone 5G core and voice-over-5G technology for Tele2 operations in Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

The Baltic countries climbed closer to the top of the global mobile data usage chart: Latvia #3, Lithuania #7 and Estonia #11 (of 39 countries) https://t.co/dJO6QUwOAx pic.twitter.com/2A6m4KiAST

— Tefficient 🚥 (@tefficient) July 8, 2024

Tefficient's latest report identified that the data usage in Estonia has been growing along with other Baltic countries as can be seen in the chart above.

Related Posts: 

• Connectivity Technology Blog: First Cross-Border Drone Flight Over Mobile Network
• Operator Watch Blog - Telia: Largest Operator in Nordic & Baltic Region
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Tunisia is Ready to Launch 5G in 2024

Tunisia has one of the most sophisticated telecom infrastructures in North Africa. Penetration rates for mobile and internet services are among the highest in the region. A number of regulatory measures and infrastructure projects have been instituted in recent years as the government continues to extend broadband infrastructure to remote areas and develop a digital economy.

Supported by the Digital Tunisia 2020 program, the MNOs have built extensive LTE infrastructure, and have trialled 5G services, though commercial services are not expected to be launched before 2023.

The political events of 2021 have put into question the country’s economic recovery. Although the economy was severely impacted by the collapse of the tourism sector in 2020, it returned to growth in 2021. Nevertheless, there is high unemployment and emigration, as well as continuing economic pressure on households. These factors have in turn held back the potential for revenue growth in the telecom sector.

Operators Ooredoo and Orange Tunisie are also licensed as fixed-line operators and have launched DSL and FttP services. In addition, a dozen public and private ISPs compete in this sector, supported by a nationwide fibre backbone network and international access via submarine and terrestrial fibre.

There are three mobile network operators in Tunisia: Tunisie Télécom (TT), Ooredoo (formerly Tunisiana) and Orange Tunisie.

All 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G in the populated areas on 2100 MHz up to HSDPA speed like in Europe, 4G/LTE started in 2016 in major towns on all three providers in 800 and 1800 MHz (B3, B20) and gives theoretical speeds of up to 150 Mbps.

In late June 2022, a Tunisie Telecom executive said that the operator is planning to shut down its 3G network and refarm its spectrum as its 3G users are rapidly migrating to 4G. The operator intended to launch VoLTE to allow it to transfer voice traffic from 3G to 4G. However, no timeline was given for the 3G network shutdown. Refarming 3G spectrum would allow Tunisie Telecom to improve the mobile experience of its 4G users.

The Tunis Afrique Press agency says that spectrum auction process is expected to take place between July and August of this year. Licenses will be awarded in September. 5G marketing is likely to be carried out soon after – in November.

A sectoral committee representing the National Telecommunications Authority (INTT) and the National Frequency Agency (ANF) was created in May 2023 to prepare for the transition. The ministry claims it has consulted with relevant stakeholders with experience in other countries.

During a press conference organized to reveal the roadmap for the launch of 5G, the ministry indicated that the call for tenders for operators would be launched at the end of April after validation by the Council of Ministers.

Three licenses will be granted to operators; Tunisia Telecom ; Ooredoo Tunisia and Orange Tunisia, which each consist of 5MHz duplexed in the 700MHz band and 100MHz in the 3.5GHz band as entry tickets.

In a second phase, each operator will also have 60MHz TDD in the 2.6GHz band.

As for the millimeter band; 26GHz, the ministry specified that it would later announce the parts of the spectrum which will be allocated to operators.

The licenses extend for a period of fifteen years each and should be awarded in September 2024. Thus around November, operators will have the opportunity to launch the marketing of 5G offers.

A representative of the INTT explained that there are 16 million SIM cards in Tunisia, and that Tunisians' data consumption increased fivefold between 2016 and 2023, from 600,000 to 1.7 million.

About 90.8% of Tunisians use mobile phones, 65% own smartphones, 72% use fixed internet, and 88% are active on social media, figures that are said to underline the need for 5G rollout. on.

According to the OpenSignal October 2022 report Tunisia’s mobile network experience continues to be hard fought, with only three out of nine awards being won outright (the same number seen in the last report). Ooredoo still has the largest haul of awards, successfully defending its outright win for Core Consistent Quality, while being a joint winner in six categories — including all three experiential awards (Video Experience, Games Experience and Voice App Experience) and both coverage awards (Availability and 4G Coverage Experience). Orange is a joint winner in five categories, including Upload Speed Experience where our users observed a three-way tie. Tunisie Telecom wins two awards outright (Download Speed Experience and Excellent Consistent Quality and is a joint winner for Video Experience (alongside Ooredoo) and Upload Speed Experience.

Ooredoo Tunisia leads the market with a 40.9% share as reported by the National Telecommunications Authority (INT). Moreover, the commercial deployment of 5G and 5.5G in North Africa is anticipated to boost Ooredoo's revenues.  

Ooredoo Group has announced a partnership with Nokia that will see its networks enhanced in Algeria and Tunisia, and forged an agreement with Huawei to adopt its technologies and wireless offerings, including 5G, in some of its MENA operating companies. In March 2023, the group inked a new partnership deal with Nokia to make its network 5G-ready in both Tunisia and Algeria. In Tunisia, Ooredoo began the first technology tests as early as December 2020.

Nokia will also upgrade the existing radio network for Ooredoo Tunisia and expand it with the addition of new radio sites. Upgrades will include deployment of Nokia’s AirScale portfolio, including base stations supporting multiple generations of radio technology from 2G, 3G and 4G to 5G; massive MIMO Adaptive Antennas for urban and wide-area coverage; dual-band Remote Radio Heads (RRH); and the AirScale indoor Radio (ASiR) small-cell service for seamless indoor coverage. 

Orange Tunisie is the smallest of the main operators. Last year they launched a project for the progressive solarization of their mobile network, in partnership with International Telecom Services (ITS.COM). The goal is to deploy solar panels on more than 1,000 sites, thereby reducing the operator's carbon footprint. This project aims to produce renewable energy to power Orange Tunisia's low-voltage radio stations, thus contributing to the country's energy transition.

Ultimately, Orange Tunisia's mobile network should reach a rate of 15% of renewable energy in its overall consumption, with the objective of reducing its carbon footprint by nearly 3,550 tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2025. This project is part of Orange Tunisia's strategy in terms of social responsibility and ecological transition, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to their website state-owned Tunisie Telecom has more than 6 million subscribers in fixed and mobile telephony. making it the largest operator in Tunisia’s growing telecoms market.

Tunisie Telecom (TT) is currently embarking on an ambitious all-optical network transformation program with longstanding strategy partner Huawei.

TT, as a No.1 service provider, is transforming to provide a high-quality home broadband experience

“ADSL technology is no longer meeting user high-speed requirements” asserts Oussama Samet, TT’s Chief Network Officer.

Samet, speaking to Telecoms.com at the recent Huawei Global Ultra-Broadband Forum held in Dubai, reported that TT held a 50% share in the county’s fixed broadband market, serving more than 1.3 million households with a mixture of xDSL and FTTH products. The days of copper-based broadband access in TT’s network are numbered, however.

Aside from rising traffic volumes and greater demand for high-quality connectivity, other drivers for TT’s all-optical transformation are increased use of cloud services, industry vertical digitalization and cloudification. The operator also wants to be prepared for the impact of 5G-Advanced on underlying networks.

By using existing civil works, TT is looking to extract as much cost‑efficiencies as possible in terms of FTTH rollout, service delivery and O&M. “This strategy has helped us double the number of homes passed with fiber by the end of 2023 and we’re on track to reach 500,000 households by 2025,” said Samet. “This will improve the average bandwidth to 30Mbit/s, and maybe up to 50Mbit/s, by the end of 2025 and greatly enhance the customer experience."

For more information on Tunisia's 5G plans please watch: 

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Would Tunisia Succeed in 2021 5G Rollout? 

Türkiye is Still Waiting for 5G but 4.5G (LTE-Advanced) is Working Great

Couple of years back, Turkey officially changed its name to Türkiye and as such we will refer to them by their new name. 

Türkiye continues to develop its capabilities within its telecom sector, becoming one of the relatively few countries able to build and develop its own communications satellites. With the successful launch of the Turksat 5A and 5B satellites in 2021, the country has vastly increased its bandwidth capacity. These satellites will be joined by the Turksat 6A in early 2023.

In addition to these technological breakthroughs, the country’s operators have invested in fibre infrastructure, with Vodafone Türkiye having trialled a 1Tb/s service in late 2021 to support its 5G network backhaul and improve the quality of its fixed infrastructure.

Deployment of fibre-based broadband networks are well established, with fibre accounting for 26.7% of all fixed broadband connections as of early 2022. The DSL sector still dominates, accounting for about 63% of connections, but its share is steadily declining, year-on-year, while the number of fibre connections has grown strongly.

Improved fixed and mobile infrastructure is underpinning the country’s initiatives relating to Smart City concepts, which have become a key area of focus for the emerging digital economy and the transformation to a knowledge-based economy. Türkiye's National Smart Cities Strategy and Action Plan runs through to 2023.

There are three network operators in Türkiye : Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom (formerly called Avea).  

In 2015 the Turkish regulator auctioned off licenses on 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz bands for 4G/LTE (Bands 3, 8, 1 and 20) . All three providers launched 4G/LTE in 2016. It has been marketed from the start as "4.5G", otherwise known as LTE+ or LTE Advanced, accelerated by carrier aggregation where available in major cities in all 81 provinces from the start. Coverage is generally quite good: Turkcell has the best, followed by Vodafone and Türk Telecom with the least.

The Turkish Government sought to be an early adopter of 5G, but plans have stalled and 5G spectrum has not even been auctioned at the time of writing this blog. European Commission's Türkiye 2023 Report notes that there was no progress reported in the procurement of 5G. Türkiye still needs to allocate additional frequencies for the development and predictability of the sector. In 2022, 94.1% of households had access to the internet, increasing from 92% the previous year.

In Opensignal's latest Türkiye Mobile Network Experience report, Turkcell wins five awards outright out of eight recognitions available, it retains both speed awards and Video Experience, while it also claims two newly introduced awards Live Video Experience and Coverage Experience. Türk Telekom turns two joint wins for Games Experience and Availability into outright victories, as Turkcell slips off the podium for both of these metrics. On top of these two wins, Türk Telekom is the sole recipient of Consistent Quality. For the third time in a row, Vodafone wins no awards, either outright or jointly.

Turkcell is the biggest operator in the country with the best coverage nationwide. 2G is on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz. In 2015 Turkcell’s population coverage was at 99.8% in 2G and 95% in 3G.

Turkcell launched their "4.5G" LTE in 2016 using tri-band aggregation of 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz frequency bands. 4G/LTE is free to prepaid. Turkcell is known to have the best coverage in the countryside.  

According to Statista, as of the second quarter of 2022, Turkcell’s mobile business had a market share of 41.3%, ahead of Vodafone at 30.4 %, and Turk Telecom at 28.3%. According to the company’s own figures, it had 42 million subscribers across fixed and mobile in Q2 2023; the mobile subscriber base reached 37.6 million in the same quarter.

In 2016 Türk Telekom rebranded its mobile network from Avea, but you see their old sign still sometimes. It's the smallest provider in Turkey in terms of coverage, but they have still good speeds in the cities and a fair coverage in the countryside.

2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE was launched in 2016. It still has the lowest coverage in the countryside, but is strong in cities.  

Türk Telekom serves more than 15 million broadband and 25.6 million mobile subscribers. As the company plays a critical role in leading Turkey's digital transformation, they sought to modernize their infrastructure supporting business-critical systems, including core billing and charging applications and databases.

Vodafone is the 2nd operator in terms of coverage. 2G on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE was launched in 2016. It has a good coverage in the country, slightly worse than Turkcell, but better than Türk Telekom.

The number of Vodafone Turkiye's mobile subscribers reached 25.4 million, by November 2023, the total number of mobile subscribers including M2M (Machine Inter-Machine Communication) reached 29.3 million . The company increased the number of postpaid subscribers to 19.1 million. While having 1.4 million fixed broadband subscribers.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: 5G Development Strategy & Plan of Turk Telekom
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• Operator Watch Blog: Turkcell Group in 5 slides
• The 3G4G Blog: 4G / LTE by stealth 

AT&T's Plans on Open RAN and 6G

AT&T was in news recently for their announcement about acceleration of Open and Interoperable Radio Access Networks (RAN) in the United States. According to their press release: 

This industry-leading move, in collaboration with Ericsson, will further the telecommunications industry efforts and help build a more robust ecosystem of network infrastructure providers and suppliers. AT&T’s spend could approach roughly $14 billion over the 5-year term of the contract with Ericsson. 

AT&T’s Open RAN plan is for 70% of its wireless network traffic to flow across open-capable platforms by late 2026. The company expects to have fully integrated open RAN sites operating in coordination with Ericsson and Fujitsu, starting in 2024. This move away from closed proprietary interfaces will enable rapid scaling and management of mixed supplier hardware at each cell site.  Beginning in 2025, the company will scale this Open RAN environment throughout its wireless network in coordination with multiple suppliers such as Corning Incorporated, Dell Technologies, Ericsson, Fujitsu, and Intel.

At the Brooklyn 6G Summit (B6GS), Chris Sambar, who leads AT&T’s Network organization and teams responsible for designing, engineering, building, and operating AT&T’s next generation mobile and fiber networks, gave a keynote on "Network: The Innovation Platform". The narrative of the talk says: 

Today’s 5G build is the foundation of 6G. Flexible and open architecture being developed and fine-tuned with 5G will be central to 6G, and maintaining a customer-centric, forward-looking mindset will be critical as we scale and deploy technologies such as Stand Alone core, edge computing, AI, and NTN integration. Implementing the lessons learned in the 5G era and ensuring we have end-to-end alignment across the 6 pillars of our architecture will be vital to making 6G a success.

Goes back to my recent meme about 6G + legacy MNOs I expect… pic.twitter.com/wWXNC8DGwR

— Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean) November 1, 2023

RCR Wireless provides a concise summary of the talk here:

AT&T has spent $40 billion on spectrum in the last few years; Verizon has spent more than $50 billion; and T-Mobile US had to acquire another major operator to get its spectrum holdings. With 5G not even at its midway point and the industry already trying to figure out what they might have to spend on 6G, “it can’t be a bottomless-pit industry,” he said.

That said, Sambar did also discuss the promise of 6G for extended and virtual-reality immersive experience for training public safety and military members, and the potential of better network-focused AI and ML to save network operators “hundreds of millions or billions of dollars” if things like self-optimization of networks can be done better and faster. That in itself represents a major challenge. Sambar says that he has thousands of employees in network operations, between AT&T’s wireline and wireless networks and “hundreds” of algorithms that do very simple if-then work and essentially send tickets to humans when a scenario comes up that fits its if-then criteria. If one of those algorithms breaks, he said, “we have to go figure out where it is, what server it’s sitting on, what’s wrong with it and how do we fix it. I would love a machine to manage that for me”—or even better, to stitch the capabilities of multiple algorithms together for more efficient and effective AI/ML applicability to network operations.

The video of the talk is embedded below, thanks to IEEE TV:

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