The most innovative regulator: 5G Latina American 2021

5G Latin America Digital Symposium will be taking place with the participation leading experts from across the region to examine key topics including monetizing consumer and enterprise services, regulation and spectrum for 5G, network technologies and innovation and rural connectivity. Taking place digitally over two days, Tuesday 27 April 2021 will be the 5G Latin American Awards Ceremony.

The Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (MINTIC) from Colombia present their project and how it has supported operators to develop 5G. The Colombian government, having acknowledged that the access and usage of mobile broadband is a key factor to economic development and productivity improvement, has been achieving strong policy reforms towards connectivity and digital inclusion.

The MINTIC has paved the way for the adoption of 5G in the country through the publication of the 5G Plan in 2019, which includes the roadmap for the eventual adoption of this technology, and the development of 5G trials in over 40 locations between 2020 and 2021. In cities as different as Bogotá and Tolú, in the Caribbean coast. These pilots address 5G uses such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) testing, which allows, among others, interaction between multiple users, use of augmented reality and machine learning; 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) tests; private 5G networks; and pilots associated with entertainment, e-education and e-health.

The Dominican Institute of the Telecommunications (INDOTEL) present their project and how it has supported operators to develop 5G. The international tender for 5G network operation nationwide, a public bidding process for the granting of the licenses and other authorizations necessary for the provision of carrier, telephony and internet services, through the exploitation of radioelectric frequencies in the 698-806 MHz and 3300-3600 MHz bands throughout the national territory. 

Several international studies have shown that by increasing the penetration of broadband has positive impacts on the increase of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), productivity and job creation and is therefore the importance of this national objective and initiative. In the case of the Dominican Republic, despite the progress of recent years where it is reported that more than 75% of the population is an Internet user, there is a lag in the penetration of fixed and mobile broadband, as well as a digital divide between urban and rural areas. There for, access to broadband Internet constitutes a means to promote economic growth and poverty reduction, due to its high impact in productivity by facilitating the adoption of more efficient processes, accelerating the innovation by introducing new applications and services for users.

At finally, the Vice-Ministry of Telecommunications from Chile carried out a public tender for the 5G network deployment in Chile, which considers four separate and independent bidding processes for the 700 MHz; AWS; 3.5 GHz; and 26 GHz bands.  Likewise, winners must obligatorily connect with high-speed mobile broadband 366 boroughs throughout Chile with no connectivity.

The fact that there are four independent public tenders for the deployment of 5G contributes to both the productive sectors and citizens since they can take full advantage of the benefits that this network brings because 5G needs the spectrum within at least three frequency ranges to provide. Chile was the first country to assigned 5G spectrum at Latin American to the mobile network operators on low, medium and high frequency bands.

Additionally, the panel discussion about unleashing spectrum to encourage 5G opportunities will be moderating by Gerardo Mantilla, Regulatory Project Director of Artifex Consulting. With participation Walid David, Vice minister of Connectivity of MINTIC, Julissa Cruz Executive Director of INDOTEL and Pamela Gidi Vice minister of Chile. They will be discussing about the 5G deployments in their countries to impulse de digital economy.

Access to links to vote for their projects and how it has supported operators to develop 5G.