Local operators Movistar and Tigo have already carried out 5G trials in the country

Colombia’s telecom ministry, MinTIC, has published the first draft of a resolution to award spectrum for the provision of 5G services in the country.  

This process, which is already open for comments from interested parties, will grant permits for the use of spectrum at a national level in the 700 MHz, 1.9 GHz, AWS, 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands.

The government said that the process stipulates that some permits will be assigned for the use of 5G spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band, at both regional and local level, for those who do not have permits to use the spectrum in bands identified for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT).

Colombia’s ICT Minister, Mauricio Lizcano, said: “We are complying with the dates set for the entry of 5G technology. The allocation of these permits for the use of the spectrum will strengthen the telecommunications industry and will have an impact on the national economy, since it will improve productivity, thanks to the optimization of processes within companies”.

According to the tender documents, 10 megahertz will be made available in the 700 MHz band, as well as 10 megahertz in the 1.9 GHz band, 30 megahertz in the extended AWS band, 30 megahertz in the 2.5 GHz band and 320 megahertz in the 3.5 GHz band. The Colombian government said that interested parties will have time to submit comments about the draft resolution until August 15.

The ministry also announces that it will carry out a process to assign 80 megahertz in the 3.5 GHz band for regional use in 2024.

Local operators Movistar and Tigo have already carried out 5G trials in the country.

5G subscribers in Colombia are forecast to reach 37.8 million by 2030, up compared to 2.9 million in 2025, according to a recent report by telecom association GSMA.

The report showed that 5G penetration by 2025 is expected to reach 4% while it would expand to 43% by 2030.

GSMA also noted that 5G networks will cover 68% of the country’s population by 2030, up from 30% in 2025.

5G is forecast to reach 57% of the total mobile connections in Latin America in 2030, up from a current penetration of around 2%, according to a recent report by telecom association GSMA.

The GSMA report stated that the region will see a 5G penetration of 11% by 2025. By that point, 5G will have a double-digit share of total connections in five countries in the region: Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay and Argentina.