Movistar Uruguay, the country’s second largest cellco in terms of subscribers, has commercially launched Long Term Evolution (LTE) services in the country, using spectrum in the 1900MHz frequency band, Telegeography.com reported on Sept 18, 2014. The 4G service, which will be included in existing subscriber’ data plans at no additional cost, is currently available in selected locations in the capital Montevideo, although the operator plans to gradually expand its network to other locations.

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Movistar Uruguay, wholly-owned by Spanish telecoms operator Telefonica, secured four 10MHz blocks in the 1900MHz band in telecoms regulator Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones (URSEC’s) March 2013 mobile spectrum auction, bidding USD8.002 million for each lot of paired spectrum. Market leader Antel launched Uruguay’s first commercial LTE network in December 2011, while Claro, a unit of Mexican telecoms giant America Movil, deployed its own LTE offering in Montevideo in February 2014.