Colombia sets requirements, base price for 5G spectrum

Local operators Movistar and Tigo have already carried out 5G trials in the country

Colombia’s telecom ministry, MinTIC, has published the second draft of a resolution to award spectrum for the provision of 5G services in the country.

This new draft resolution establishes the requirements, conditions and reserve prices ​​for each of the bands to be auctioned.

This process will grant permits for the use of spectrum at a national level in the 700 MHz, 1.9 GHz, AWS, 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands.

In the case of the 700 MHz band, a 10-megahertz block will be auctioned with a reserve price of COP 511.7 billion ($125.3 billion).

For the frequencies in the 1.9 GHz band, MinTIC said that the reserve price is COP295.5 billion.

In the AWS band, three blocks of 10 megahertz will be auctioned for a reserve price of COP295.5 billion, while the process will also include three blocks of 10 megahertz in the 2.5 GHz band, with a reserve price of COP 156.8 billion each.

Meanwhile, for the 3.5 GHz band the government will auction four blocks, each of 60 megahertz, with a reserve price of COP238.72 billion.

Additionally, 8 blocks of 10 megahertz will be offered in the 3.5 GHz band for the winners of the 60 MHz blocks, so that they can complement the spectrum for the provision of 5G, MintTIC said.

The winning operators will make an initial payment of 20% of the spectrum price within 90 days following the signing of the administrative act assigning the permit for the use of the frequencies.

In August, MinTIC published the first draft of the process, with the technical and legal aspects of the spectrum auction and the mechanisms of the auction.

The Colombian government said it aims to publish the final resolution on October 17 and award the spectrum on December 20.

Local operators Movistar and Tigo have already carried out 5G trials in the country.

5G subscribers in Colombia are forecast to reach 37.8 million by 2030, up compared to 2.9 million in 2025, according to a recent report by telecom association GSMA.

The report showed that 5G penetration by 2025 is expected to reach 4% while it would expand to 43% by 2030.

GSMA also noted that 5G networks will cover 68% of the country’s population by 2030, up from 30% in 2025.

5G is forecast to reach 57% of the total mobile connections in Latin America in 2030, up from a current penetration of around 2%, according to a recent report by telecom association GSMA.