Avantel calls for licence withdrawal over roaming deadlock

Wireless provider Avantel has filed a petition with the ICT ministry and the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) calling for the cancellation of the 4G licences of Tigo, Claro and Movistar, on the basis that the trio have breached the terms of their concessions. According to El Tiempo Avantel has claimed that the three operators are refusing to meet one of the conditions of the licences, which states that incumbent cellcos are required to provide access to their 4G networks to newcomers to the market via national roaming agreements. Avantel claims to have been pursuing roaming agreements with the trio since August last year, without success. A spokesperson for Tigo explained the delay by saying that it has not disputed Avantel’s right to a roaming agreement, but has sought greater clarity from the regulator regarding the conditions of such a deal: ‘We have asked the CRC to clarify the conditions for it as regulatory gaps and the interpretation presented by Avantel goes against global and local roaming service standards.’