Growth rates are lower, and statistics show that there are 132 cell lines per 100 inhabitants, a fact that is leading phone companies to adopt new strategies for growth.
The growth rate of mobile telephony in Guatemala decreased from 2.5 million lines per year in 2005 to only about 460 thousand in 2010, a sign of market maturity. Today, Guatemala has 132 mobile phone lines per 100 inhabitants.
If approved, the usufruct of radio, television and telephony frequencies would be extended to 25 years.
The reform of the Telecommunications Act will allow beneficiaries of radio, telephone and television frequencies, who have been given usufruct for 15 years to request an extension to 25 years.
"If the law is passed, the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SIT) 'shall, no later than 15 days after filing the request for extension of the lease, provide the titles for a period of 25 years.'
The increase in the number of mobile phone line users during the first half of 2011 was almost half a million.
As of 30 June, the total number of lines stood at 18,528,667, an increase of 5.7% compared to the same period in 2010, according to preliminary information from the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SIT).
The company Tigo has 43% of the cell phone market, followed by Claro, with 34% and Telefonica with 23.1%.
The SIT has identified at least seven bands on the radio spectrum that can be used to migrate mobiles to fourth generation technology (4G).
Marco Antonio Escalante, from the Telecommunications Authority, said "the change from 3G to 4G is now up to the operators", having identified the available bands.
"Bands that the SIT has identified for cellular mobile systems under one thousand MHz are: 450 MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz.
During 2010 the cell phone market registered only a 4% growth, compared to 15% in 2009.
According to the Telecommunications Superintendence, there are currently over 18 million subscribers, 1.22 cell phones per person.
Tigo controls 42.7% of the cell phone market, followed by Claro with 34.1% and Telefonica with 23.1%.
"Of the 18 million users, 17.1 million are using the prepaid-card system, while 966 thousand have a contract with an operator," reported Prensalibre.com.
Using models applied in other Latin American countries as a base, Guatemala is looking to enable people to keep their telephone number when they change providers by 2011.
Julio García, head of Guatemala's Telecommunications Regulator (SIT), stated that the project is currently with Congress.
He added that schemes implemented in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and the Dominican Republic will be evaluated as a basis for the project.
Despite the crisis, mobile phone lines continued growing in Guatemala, reaching 16 million after the first half of 2009.
Growth is expected to continue in the second semester, even surpassing the first half, as it is common for mobile phone lines to enjoy greater demand in the second halves of each year.
Claro and Tigo own the largest share of the market, with 37% each, followed by Telefónica with 25% according to data from the Telecommunications Superintendence.
Tigo controls 48% of the cellular market, with over 4.9 million subscribers.
The remainder of the market is distributed between Claro and Telefónica, according to data from the International Telecommunications Union.
"... the number of cell phones in Guatemala has doubled during the past 5 years. In 2003 there were 49 phones for each 100 inhabitants. This figure was 109 in 2008", reported Elperiodico.com.gt.
Analysis is underway to charge a specific tax on mobile telephony in 2010, either to all calls or just international ones.
A 0.1 Quetzal per minute tax (approximately $0.01), is one option being considered to increase fiscal revenues, within the National Emergency and Economic Recovery Program, know for its initials as PNERE.
Marco Cerezo Blandón, PNERE coordinator, "states that one of the objectives of the program for 2010 is fiscal sustainability", reports Sigloxxi.com. "To achieve this 'a Q0.10 per minute tax to mobile calls is being considered' said Cerezo, as well as other mechanisms to raise the state's revenues".
At the close of 2008, there were 14 million 948 thousand cell phone users, according to a report by the Superintendent of Telecommunications (SIT).
SIT also reported a slight growth of 2.52% in fixed telephone service.
Urías Gamarro wrote about the SIT report in Prensalibre.com: "As of December 31, 2008, Claro reported 5.906 million users, equaling 39.50% of the market; the Tigo Company reported 34.60% and Movistar 25.90%."