Chilean mobile operator WOM has secured 30MHz of spectrum in the AWS band just a few days after successfully bidding for 20 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band. The second of four auctions for 5G-ready frequencies held by telecommunications regulator Subtel saw WOM easily outbid rivals rivals Claro (America Movil) and new entrant Borealnet with an offer of CLP 16.3 billion (around USD 22 million), some 300 percent higher than the previous AWS tender held over a decade ago, said Subtel.
WOM was launched by UK-based fund Novator in 2015 and has led the country’s mobile portability rankings for much of the past 6 years. it ended September with a total of 6.5 million customers, equivalent to 21.9 percent of Chile’s mobile market, and was also awarded a contract to build the country’s National Fibre Optic (FON) network last year for CLP 86 billion.
It will be required to cover 90 percent of the country’s territory as part of the obligations of the 30-year AWS concession. The operator will now compete with Claro, Borealnet, Entel and Movistar (Telefonica) for the 150 MHz of frequencies made available in the 3.5 GHz band tender scheduled for 16 February.
Last month, the watchdog confirmed that all three operators who expressed an interest in the 26GHz band auction (Claro, Entel and WOM) would be awarded the 4x400MHz frequencies thanks to the availability of sufficient bandwidth.
