Mobile base to reach 18 million this year

Total mobile phone users in Colombia could reach 18 million this year, up 73% compared to 10.41 million at the end of 2004, according to local newspaper La República, citing statistics from local mobile operators. Regulator CRT has approved the rollout of eleven million new mobile connections, including four million for América Móvil’s local arm Comunicación Celular (Comcel) and seven million for Telefónica Móviles’ Movistar Colombia unit, based on the companies’ growth projections. During the first quarter, Movistar recorded 3.6 million new users, with Comcel reporting 1.2 million.