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Colombia Telecommunications Report Q3 2011
Business Monitor International, May 2011, Pages: 88
This exstensive report incorportates full-year data from Colombia’s mobile phone operator and regulator and shows mobile subscriber numbers continue to post strong growth. Users climbed by 8.1% y-o-y to total 44mn at the end of 2010. Net additions were particularly strong in Q410, at more than 1mn. Although these figures are far from the market boom in late 2008 and early 2009, they are still promising indicators there is room for growth, even as subscriber numbers draw close to 100% penetration.
The year 2011 is likely to be a year of market developments for Colombia’s mobile phone industry. Starting with the launch of fourth mobile operator Uff!, an MVNO operating on Tigo’s network in late 2010, a fifth operator offering 4G capable services will launch at the end of 2011, following Une-EPM’s acquisition of spectrum in June 2010. More spectrum will be auctioned in June 2011. There are eight operators who are reportedly interested in bidding including the three major operators. The government has also hinted that a further auction, again for 4G-capable bandwidth, is likely to be moved forward from 2012 to the end of 2011. BMI welcomes these developments as they are a going to be a key factor in driving growth, particularly mobile broadband.
Other developments include the announcement that Mobile Number Portability will be available from July 29 2011. Its introduction should shake up the market further as leading operators Comcel and Movistar – and to a lesser extent, Tigo – engage in price wars to capture subscribers. The government is also in discussions with mobile phone operators to tighten up controls of stolen handsets, to ensure they are not resold illegally.
The fixed-line segment continues its slow but steady decline, with subscriber numbers at more than 7mn at the end of 2010. The fact that mobile phones are in many cases cheaper than fixed lines is dragging their share down. Traditional operators such as Telecali and ETB, are in need of external investment to upgrade their networks and this does little to boost their offerings. Only through bundled packages, such as Telefónica’s Dúo or Trío, are fixed-line operators gaining subscribers. Pay-TV is one area that is showing strong growth.
In terms of internet connections, fixed broadband and mobile broadband have posted good growth. The government plans to increase internet use by targeting low income sectors of the population and small and medium-sized businesses.
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