The Colombian government is optimistic of staging its auction of 5G-suitable 3.5GHz spectrum by December 2021, officials have indicated. Terms and conditions remain under review, although it is anticipated that the government will apply rural coverage obligations on the eventual licence winners, as it did after the 700MHz spectrum sale in December 2019. ICT minister Karen Abudinen told Portafolio: ‘We are reviewing the terms of reference for the 5G auction. We are still seeing what those conditions may be, that operators who want to participate will have to meet, but our idea is that we can connect more homes, and more antennas will be installed.’
TeleGeography notes that the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (Ministerio de Tecnologias de la Informacion y las Comunicaciones, MinTIC) awarded the country’s major players with temporary 3.5GHz licences in early 2020, and Claro, Tigo, Movistar and ETB all went on to stage successful 5G mobile trials in the ensuing twelve months. The regulator’s 2019 5G consultation also featured the 600MHz band and various millimetre wave (mmWave) bands, starting with 24.25GHz-27.5GHz.