Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Digicel Group have penned an agreement to lower the cost of roaming charges in the Caribbean by 70%, but critics say the measure should have scrapped charges altogether.

TIM Brasil, a Tier-1 mobile network operator, has reached a milestone of over 1,000 sites leveraging Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c platform to build the largest 4G satellite cellular backhaul network in Latin America, according to Gilat Satellite Networks, a leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services.

America Movil’s Telcel has switched on 5G services in 18 of Mexico’s largest cities.

Digicel is replacing its end-of-life IP Transfer Point (ITP) systems in use at 26 of its markets in the Caribbean and Central America with BroadForward’s Signalling Transfer Point (STP).

Further evidence of the continuing importance of satellites in extending the reach of mobile services come from Brazil where satcoms equipment and services giant Hughes has announced the successful three-month pilot of what it calls a new Community LTE service in five villages in Brazil.

Brazilian operators Claro Brasil, Telefonica Brasil (Vivo) and TIM Brasil are set to take control of the spectrum licences currently held by Oi Movel, after the country’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) granted approval for the transfer.

At its 2022 Virtual Investor Day Millicom, a provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications services dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America operating under the Tigo brand, has made some key investment announcements.

Submarine fibre optic cable systems operator Seabras 1 Brasil (Seaborn) announced its network has been approved to provide connectivity to the Brazilain Stock Exchange (B3, enhancing the financial services market in Brazil. 

Wireless internet service provider XCIEN and fixed wireless access expert Tarana have announced a new partnership to bring high-speed, reliable internet service to businesses and residential areas across Mexico with plans ranging from 100 to 400 Mbps.

National Narrowband Network Company (NNNCo), operator of the Australian national LoRaWAN network powered by Actility, has signed a contract with a European technology provider Wellness TechGroup, to provide IoT network coverage to 70,000 smart streetlights in Uruguay’s capital Montevideo.

From Peru and the Dominican Republic come reminders that much of Latin America still lacks digital connectivity. However, in both countries, efforts are under way to provide it.

According to local news reports, the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) is supporting the country’s National Broadband Initiative by offering the use of its utility poles for the running of aerial fibre.

Brazilian regional telecom operator Copel Telecom has acquired Curitiba-based ISP and data centre provider Nova Fibra from ABL group in a deal valued at BRL500 million (US$ 94.7 million).

Mexico could see a 5G spectrum auction later this year following the IFT (Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones)’s approval of its Annual Work Programme 2022.

Telecom Italia Brazil has appointed its fourth permanent CEO naming Alberto Griselli as its head, a role which was vacated when Pietro Labriola was unanimously appointed as group CEO.

After news that Peru and Ecuador have indicated that they support the proposal of the Andean Committee of High Telecommunications Authorities (CAATEL) to extend the elimination of international roaming costs in the Andean region to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, who – or where – will be next?

Brazilian regulator Anatel unanimously approved the sale of Oi’s mobile unit Oi Movel to a consortium of its former rivals in a vote held on 31^st January.

FreeMove Alliance, the global mobile telecommunications alliance between Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telia and Telecom Italia, and Latin American telecom giant Millicom have announce a major new partnership agreement.

Sigfox, the self-described global 0G network and cloud provider for industrial data, has filed for bankruptcy protection and is seeking a buyer. This is despite having raised over $300 million in venture funding and seemingly being well on the way to building a global IoT communications network.

Rock Connect has selected Nokia to deploy a 4G-LTE Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network in Jamaica.

Microwave link measurement has taken to the skies of Paraguay  after a recently announced deal involving drones.

IHS Towers, which describes itself as one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, just got even bigger after a major acquisition in Brazil.

Brazil has one of the largest mobile markets in Latin America due to the sheer size of its population. Healthy competition in the mobile market has helped reduce the price of mobile services in Brazil in recent years and mobile service providers have had much success in converting their customers from prepaid to contract plans.

Uruguay has an advanced telecom market, with excellent infrastructure and one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Latin America. Fixed-line teledensity is also particularly high for the region, while mobile penetration is the second highest after Panama.

Nicaragua is the largest and least densely populated country in Central America. The country’s steady GDP growth since 2010 belies the low economic base, given that it has the lowest GDP per capita in the region, with some 60% of the population living below the poverty line.

Guatemala’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from years of underinvestment from state and provincial governments.

The fixed broadband market is one of the few parts of Costa Rica’s telecom sector to experience solid growth in recent years, both in size and revenue.

One of the smaller countries in Central America, Belize in many respects has closer affinities with English speaking countries of the Caribbean than with its immediate neighbours.

In what we are told is only a temporary measure, Peru’s National Telecommunications Programme (Pronatel), part of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC), has taken over the operation and maintenance of the National Fibre Optic Backbone (RDNFO).

After a fairly lengthy process that seemed to have culminated in a successful sale, Brazilian operator Oi may not be able to sell off its mobile assets after all.

An ambitious Brazilian project that aims to bring broadband connectivity to around a million people in two northern states has now been officially launched.

Chilean telecommunications company Grupo GTD, whose activities include data transmission, network interconnection, internet, mobile telephony, digital television, voice and other communication services, has announced plans to build its second data centre in Peru.