A new arrival in the Paraguayan market, Argentine operator Nubicom, plans to invest US$200 million in the next few years to build a standalone 5G network in Paraguay.
This news, revealed to the website BNamericas, is apparently part of the operator’s plans to build what is described as the largest 5G network in Paraguay.
Nubicom was awarded a license to provide 5G services in the country earlier this week and has already established a local operation, Nubicom Paraguay. Both Nubicom and the other licence winner, Claro, acquired 200MHz in the 3.5GHz band after a tender held in August that, apparently did not include operators Tigo and Personal. RCR Wireless News says that Tigo and Personal skipped the auction, citing restrictive rules on vendor participation that excluded Chinese equipment makers.
However, local reports suggest that Tigo is in talks with regulator Conatel to access spectrum designated for 5G services.
However, Nubicom's entry into the Paraguayan market has not been plain sailing. Telecom Argentina's subsidiary in Paraguay (Nucleo, which operates under the brand name Personal)suggested that the company did not meet one of the requirements to participate in the auction – that it should have 100,000 customers. This requirement was set by Conatel. Nubicom, however, says on its website that it met all the requirements of the tender.
Nubicom adds that it already has most of the necessary skills required, including tower design, fibre deployment, radio links and hybrid energy solutions, though it says it will seek technology partners for the more specialised areas of the work. Indeed, reports say that its 5G rollout will be developed in partnership with Ericsson and Nokia. There will also be funding from one or more, so far unnamed, financial partners.
BNamericas says that, according to the bidding rules, for every 100MHz awarded, Claro and Nubicom must deploy at least 100 radio base stations nationwide, 10% of which must serve the facilities of state agencies and entities selected by Conatel and the Ministry of ICT.
Nubicom originated in Salta, a province in the northwest of Argentina, as a family business specialised in connectivity and telecommunications services. Its coverage – mainly fixed internet services for businesses and homes – includes the provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca. It also integrates video surveillance systems for the province of Salta.
It explains that it applied for the 5G spectrum tender in Paraguay because the regulatory model allowed less expensive licenses with more limited deadlines, meaning, it seems, that some savings can go towards the deployment of the network.
