Government close to 3G licence awards

BNamericas writes that Colombia’s communications ministry is close to awarding spectrum for 3G services to local mobile operator Tigo, owned by Luxembourg’s Millicom International Cellular. According to communications minister María del Rosario Guerra: ‘We are about to award Tigo 10MHz of additional spectrum’, adding that both America Movil’s Comcel and Movistar, owned by Telefonica, will also receive additional spectrum for 3G services. ‘We are already negotiating with these two operators,’ the official said. The minister said that the operators did not need to participate in a bidding process since spectrum would be awarded for coverage expansion and development of new technologies.