In El Salvador, businessmen are preparing a proposal for the government to disconnect the 2G telephone network, so that services migrate to 4G and 5G technology.
The initiative, which is being prepared by the National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP), will be presented to the authorities during the National Meeting of Private Enterprise (Enade) 2019.
Although Samsung and Apple mobile phones represent more than half of the devices used in the region's markets, there is an upward trend in the preference for devices from the Chinese brand Huawei.
An analysis of the Trade Intelligence Area at CentralAmericaData provides interesting data on the use and preference of cell phone brands in the region.
In the first half of the year, countries in the region reported $574 million in mobile phone imports, and company purchases in Hong Kong increased 84%.
Figures from the information system on the Mobile Phone Market in Central America, complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Last year countries in the region imported $1.269 billion worth of mobile phones, which is equivalent to an increase of 10% over the previous year.
Information from the interactive system "Cell Phone Market in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, [GRAFICA caption= "Click to interact with graph"]
The General Directorate of Public Procurement of Panama is putting out to tender cellular voice and data mobile telephony services for State entities, for a period of 18 months.
Panama Government Purchase 2018-1-27-0-99-LM-001875:
"Annual plans are required with equipment included.Cell phone services are being tendered in seven different lines that include air minutes, and device specifications.On the other hand, mobile data services will be done through twelve different lines.
The number of subscribers to the mobile and fixed Internet services increased from 2.5 million to 2.6 million between December 2016 and September 2017.
According to figures from the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), in the third quarter of last year "... The number of subscribers of fixed internet services reached a total of 245,924 at the end of this quarter of the year, observing a growth of 2.12% compared to the previous quarter.The number of mobile internet subscribers reached a total of 2,111,101, with a growth of 2.95% compared to the previous quarter."
Unlike Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama, Guatemalan authorities did not sign the agreement that seeks to eliminate additional fees that are charged for roaming services.
The Superintendency of Telecommunications took part in the Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (Citel) which was held in Buenos Aires, but the Guatemalan institution has not yet given the reasons why it did not sign the agreement in favor of eliminating charges for roaming services.
Between January and June 2017, the region imported $590 million worth of mobile phones, 10% more than the imports in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Mobile Phone Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
Between January and September 2016 the countries in the region imported $791 million worth of cellular phones, 6% less than the imports in the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on themobile phone market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
It has been announced that Telefonica will invest $250 million in implementation, in various stages, of the LTE telecommunications network.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of El Salvador:
The Spanish giant in the telecommunications industry, Telefonica, confirmed on Tuesday the good investment climate in El Salvador after announcing an investment of more than $250 million in the country with the installation of Movistar 's LTE network, using the latest technology for internet connection.
In 2015 Central American countries bought $1251 million worth of mobile phones, of which 39% came from the US, 26% from China, 19% from Hong Kong and 5% from South Korea.
Figures from the Business Intelligence unit at CentralAmericaData.COM com indicate that in 2015 the main importer of cell phones was Guatemala, with $419 million, followed by Costa Rica, which spent $364 million, El Salvador, with $181 million, and Honduras, which imported $141 million worth of mobile phones.
Imports of cell phones have grown by 10% over the past 5 years, going from $57 million in 2010 to $63 million in 2015.
Figures provided by the Business Intelligence unit at CentralAmericaData.com show that imports of cell phones measured in tons increased from 342 to 455 between 2010 and 2015. According to the Foreign Trade report by the Central Bank of Nicaragua,"... this product occupies first place in imports of durable consumer goods".
The Ministry of Telecommunications has announced that a tender for allocating frequencies will take place in early 2015 and plans to add a new operator to the process.
Officials added that the tender documents will be ready at the end of the semester and discussed the possibility of adding one more operator to the competition. This option has not been well received by the telecommunications companies currently taking part in the tender for whom "...
From April 1st the operator Claro will starts the new 4G mobile network service.
The phone company Claro has announced that from 1 April it will start its 4G LTE mobile network service. At the moment the company is carrying out the final tests for implementation of the service.
"The coverage area includes the sectors of La Ururca, Heredia, Escazu and Santa Ana."
Following a favorable resolution of the appeal by Movistar, the State operator has started marketing 4G cell phones.
The Manager of the Client Division at Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), Jaime Palermo, announced the launch of the 4G LTE network, which will initially be free for postpaid users in the first month.
In order to activate the service they must meet certain conditions: "Postpaid users must first check if they are in a zone covered by 4G LTE network. The second step is to confirm that the device has the ability to connect to the 4G LTE network in the 2600 MHz band (this can be corroborated in the user manual of the cell phone as not all models are able to).