Recently merged Colombian duo Une-EPM and Tigo Colombia have achieved combined Long Term Evolution (LTE) coverage of 75 cities, CEO Esteban Iriarte has revealed in an interview with Prensario.net. The chief executive added: ‘In 2014 we invested in the improvement, modernisation and expansion of our fixed and mobile telecoms infrastructure … we deployed more than 2,800km of fibre and expanded the capacity of our submarine cables and national transport network.’ Going forward, Iriarte acknowledged that the company’s biggest challenge will involve integrating the complementary operations of Tigo and Une, noting: ‘We must adapt and build a new culture that incorporates the best practices of each company. If we do that, the conditions are ripe for us to continue to grow as we move forward as an integrated company, and to position ourselves as the preferred choice of Colombians.’
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, Luxembourg-based group Millicom International Cellular (MIC) announced that the merger of Tigo Colombia and fixed line operator Une-EPM was completed on 14 August 2014. Une’s parent Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM) will hold a 50% plus-one-share stake in the enlarged entity, whilst MIC will hold the remainder and assume operational and administrative control of the operator.