Telephony in Colombia

Telephony in Colombia is characterized by having landlines and cell phones, the latter being the one that has represented the most progress in terms of users.

Landline telephony

At the end of the second quarter of 2018, the number of lines in Basic Public Switched Telephony service reached a total of 6,985,213 lines, with a penetration of 14% and distributed as follows: in stratum 1 (508,532 – 7.3%), stratum 2 (2,129,552 – 30.5%), stratum 3 (1,788,279 – 25.6%), stratum 4 (751,177 – 10.8%), stratum 5 (240,524 – 3.4%), stratum 6 (174,163 – 2.5%), corporate (1,352,436 – 19.4%), other segments (40,550 – 0.6%).

Mobile telephony

By the end of the second half of 2022, the number of subscribers to the mobile telephone service in Colombia reached a total of 77'879,779 and a penetration rate of 150.90%; corresponding to the participation of subscribers in mobile telephone service in the Prepaid Category of 75.71%, compared to 26.29% in the Postpaid Category.

Mobile phone statistics

Operator	Logo	Matrix	Abonds	Market	Standard	Banking	Service
Sure.		Americas Mobile	36'321.883 (2022-2)	48.03% (2022-2)	GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/ HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	Band 5: 850, Band 2: 1900 (55) MHz (2G and 3G services) Band 7: 2600 (30) MHz,Banda 28:(20)MHz (4G services) In areas without coverage, Roaming Nacional Tigo and Movistar Colombia, voice 2G, 3G and 4G.	Data, messaging and voice
Movistar		Telefónica	19'738.064 (2022-2)	26.1 per cent (2022-2)	GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/ HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	Band 5: 850, Band 2: 1900 (55) MHz (2G and 3G services) Band 4: AWS30) MHz (4G services) In areas without coverage, Roaming Nacional Tigo and Claro Colombia, in 3G and 4G voice.	Data, messaging and voice
Tigo		Millicom/EPM Group	14'711.497 (2022-2)	19.45% (2022-2)	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	Band 2: 1900 (55) MHz (3G services) Band 4: AWS15MHz,Banda 28 (40) MHz (services 4G) In areas without coverage, Roaming Nacional Movistar and Claro Colombia, 3G and 4G.	Data, messaging and voice
WOM		Novator Partners	2 746 912 (2022-2)	4% (2022-2)	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	Band 4: AWS30) MHz (4G services) (Network Services 3G Roaming Tigo, Claro and Movistar)	Data, messaging and voice
Virgin Mobile (OMV)		Virgin Group/ Valorem Group	2'733.347 (2022-2)	3.61% (2022-2)	GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/ HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming Movistar Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice
Successful Mobile (OMV)		Success Group	1'419.121 (2022-2)	1.88% (2022-2)	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming Tigo Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice
ETB		Telecommunications Company of Bogotá	230.267 (2022-2)	0.3% (2022-2)	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	Band 4: AWS15) MHz (4G services) (Network Services 3G Roaming TIGO Colombia) In areas without coverage, Roaming Nacional Movistar, Tigo and Claro Colombia, in 3G and 4G voice.	Data, messaging and voice
DirecTV Net		Werthein Group	210 (2020-II)	Figures do not constitute mobile subscribers	4GLTE/(5G)	Band 38: 2600 (70) MHz (4G services)(Services 5G Kennedy, Bogotá)	It only offers Internet about LTE and 5G, under the Residential Internet model
Flash Mobile(OMV)		ACN Opportunity, LLC	165.206 (2022-2)	0.22% (2022-2)	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice
SUMA Mobile Colombia(OMV)		Ingenium Group	25.159 (2022-2)	0.03%	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice
iYO Movil (OMV)		iYO Group SAS service provided by Suma Movil	6.122(2023-1)	Data under study.	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice. Voice to voice distribution with the model of Incentives to refer.
Kalley Movil (OMV)		Kalley	Data under study.	Data under study.	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice. Voice to voice distribution with the model of Incentives to refer.
LOV Telecommunications (OMV)		LOV Telecommunications SAS	8.067(2022-4T)	0.01%	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice. Voice to voice distribution with the model of Incentives to refer.
CELLVOZ Colombia (OMV)		Cellvoz Colombia comprehensive services SA ESP	1.725 (2022-4T)	0.00%	HSDPA/HSPA+/4GLTE/4GLTE+	(Roaming TIGO Colombia)	Data, messaging and voice. Voice to voice distribution with the model of Incentives to refer.

History

Until the 1990s, telephony was completely in charge of the state through various municipal companies and the national company Telecom.

In 1993, cellular telephone networks began to operate through six companies divided into three coverage areas. In each one there was a private company and a mixed one (private and public capital, with the participation of fixed telephone companies). Soon these companies began to merge with the entry of private capital to reach only two companies with national coverage: Claro formerly Comcel (controlled by América Móvil) and Telefónica (with its brand Movistar; formerly BellSouth).

The liberalization of telecommunications also allowed some local companies such as the Bogotá Telephone Company (ETB) and Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) to provide national and international long distance services through their 007 Mundo brands. and Orbitel, as well as Telecom and EPM began to offer local telephone service in the city of Bogotá (under the names of Capitel and EPM Bogotá, respectively).

In 2002 the number of cellular subscribers surpassed the number of fixed telephony installed until then.

In 2003, the financial problems of the Colombian Telecommunications Company (Telecom), aggravated by competition from ETB and Orbitel, cell phones and the Internet, in addition to its pension burden, led the government to close the company and create a new: Colombia Telecomunicaciones (which continues to use "Telecom" as a brand). Recently Colombia Telecomunicaciones reached an agreement with Telefónica to capitalize.

At the end of 2003, Colombia Móvil (better known by its brand Ola) emerged, a PCS telephone operator, owned by ETB and EPM. Some time later (in 2006) half plus one of its shares were sold to Millicom International Cellular, S.A. changing its brand to "Tigo". In 2006, exactly on December 1, OLA changed its name to TIGO, as a result of the purchase of 50%+1 of the shares by Millicom International of Luxembourg, which until then was owned by ETB and EPM (which in That same year it would create its telecommunications subsidiary UNE as part of its competitive strategy against other companies).

In 2006 Colombia Telecomunicaciones was acquired by Telefónica as a majority partner, who since then began to use the "Telefónica Telecom" brand.

In 2008, the 3G service arrived in Colombia, with Comcel, Tigo and Movistar, in their respective order, having this technology.

Between 2009 and 2010, Colombia has three virtual Mobile Operators (OMV), UNE being the first, ETB the second and UFF mobile the third; all working with Roaming under the TIGO network.

In 2011 TIGO launched HSPA+ technology with a maximum download speed of 4 Mbps, followed by Comcel which offered the same speed. In 2011, 47.8 million active lines were reached, reaching 103% coverage.

In 2012, UNE launches its 4G LTE network thanks to a spectrum auction won in 2010, and arrives with support of up to 12 Mbps in its first phase in the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, currently extending to six cities.

In that year, Telefónica Telecom and Movistar merged into Movistar, thus packaging their fixed and mobile offers. Subsequently, the companies Comcel and Telmex merged under the Claro brand, but without being able to merge their fixed and mobile services due to the monopoly. which the company maintains in subscription TV and mobile telephony. In October of that same year, Movistar Mobile formally launched its HSPA+ network.

In 2013, more precisely in February and May, respectively, two new MVNOs arrive on the market, Virgin Mobile and Móvil Éxito, respectively, the first operating on the Movistar network and the second operating on the TIGO network.

Also at the end of June, an auction of electromagnetic spectrum was held in the AWS and 2500 MHz bands to provide the 4G LTE service, a tender that was won by the companies DirecTV, Claro, Avantel, Consorcio ETB-Tigo and Movistar.

On December 2, 2013, Movistar and TIGO turned on their 4G LTE networks in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and Cali, the latter only covered by Movistar; with average speeds of 40 Mbps download for Tigo and 20 Mbps download for Movistar.

In 2014, on February 13, Claro launched its 4G LTE service in the city of Bogotá with an average download speed of 30 Mbps.

On August 14, the merger between the companies TIGO owned by Millicom with 50% + 1 share, EPM with 25% and ETB with another 25% is closed; with the UNE company owned by EPM, and at the same time the ETB company sells its shareholding in TIGO to EPM. The new company formed brings together TIGO and UNE, without the unification of the brand having been defined or not, with an equal participation of Millicom and EPM; However, said new company was forced to give up or rent the excess spectrum, above the limit of 85 MHz.

On August 19 of that same year, the 4G service of the company Avantel Colombia was officially launched, this being the fifth LTE network in Colombia to be deployed, initially covering 20 municipalities and/or cities in Colombia.

Also on September 17, the 4G service of the DirecTV Colombia company is officially launched, under the DirecTV Net brand, being the sixth company with an LTE network in Colombia, initially covering 13 cities in Colombia, however, its operations Pre-sales of their new service began approximately 2 months before its official announcement.

On October 7, the ETB's 4G LTE network is launched in 41 municipalities and/or cities in Colombia, making it the seventh company with an LTE network in Colombia.

On January 1, 2016, HV Móvil's 4G LTE network was launched in 41 municipalities and/or cities in Colombia, becoming the eighth company with an LTE network in Colombia. ^{[citation required]}

In 2018 it brought with it the disappearance of the mobile operator OMV Uff! Mobile, which due to economic insolvency is forced to withdraw from the market and therefore all its users had to port it to other operators.

On August 1, 2018, the Mexican Flash Mobile begins operations under the Network Marketing model, debuting as a virtual mobile operator OMV under the Tigo network, and thus becomes the ninth mobile telephone operator and the third operator virtual OMV.

In 2019, the Tigo-UNE merger began to operate under the single Tigo brand, packaging mobile and fixed services on the same platform.

Since 2020, the virtual mobile operators OMV Unicorn mobile, Kalley Mobile and iYO Movil have started operating, these under the TIGO network. Which makes them the fourth, fifth and sixth virtual mobile operator OMV.

On November 6, 2020, the WOM brand, owned by Novator partners, was launched amid great controversy, since other operators claim that the launch was made amid fraud.

On October 10, 2022, iYO Movil is launched in Colombia as an MVNO. This initiative began its implementation in 2020 and has stood out for its innovative approach to marketing and user acquisition through voice-to-voice recommendation. One of the distinctive features of iYO Móvil is its referral-based incentive system. Users who refer other people to join the platform receive benefits and rewards. This has generated significant momentum in expanding its customer base. In addition to its focus on referral marketing, iYO Móvil offers mobile phone and data services through its virtual infrastructure. Users can access data plans, calls and text messages, and enjoy connectivity on the mobile network. The main objective of iYO Móvil is to provide an affordable and quality mobile phone experience to its users, while encouraging community participation in its growth. By rewarding users who refer others, iYO Móvil seeks to create a solid and reliable network of satisfied customers. Since its launch, iYO Móvil has been gradually expanding its presence in the Colombian market and has gained recognition for its novel approach to the telecommunications sector. Its strategy based on referral incentives has proven to be successful in increasing the user base and generating greater community participation in its growth.

On November 1, 2022, Tigo becomes the first operator in Latin America to turn off its 2G network to connect more Colombians to its 4G network