Chilean carriers WOM and Entel, two of the country’s four 5G licensees, have announced new milestones in the technology’s network rollout as competition for coverage and users intensifies.
WOM announced that the number of 5G antennas deployed across the country has reached 3,950, representing approximately 80% of the total of 5,034 promised as part of the 5G tender obligation in 2021.
According to a WOM statement cited by news outlets, the company uses twice as many antennas as other carriers.
The company currently covers more than 320 municipalities in Chile and claims that 5G is available to more than 18 million people, including more than 300,000 people living in rural areas. Exact number of 5G clients is not provided.
WOM’s announcement comes after watchdog group Subtel refused to extend the April deadline for 5G antenna deployment, a decision later upheld by the Santiago Court of Appeals.
The company previously pledged to invest US$350 million in 5G deployment, on top of the US$150 million it paid for spectrum licenses in the 2021 tender.
entel
Meanwhile, Entel, the country’s leading mobile operator, claims to have over 1.5 million clients using its 5G network.
The company has just announced that it will operate two 5G antennas on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), 3,500km off the coast, as part of the second phase of its 5G tender commitment.
Entel says its 5G network is currently available from Putre in the far north to Puerto Williams in the Beagle Channel. However, unlike WOM, Entel has not disclosed the total number of his 5G antennas deployed so far.
“Rapanui has always been one of our priorities and this is another example of our commitment,” Entel CEO Antonio Buchi said in a statement.
However, the company admitted that the island’s mobile internet satellite connection is “significantly inferior” to the mainland’s fiber optic connection.
Entel recently announced plans to invest USD 160 million in 5G deployment and USD 190 million in ramping up its 4G network this year.
According to Subtel, the company held a 34.7% share of the mobile market at the end of 2022. This was followed by WOM, which increased by 5 points last year to 25.4%, and Movistar (down to 21.2%).
