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MARKET RESEARCH
By Region
By Industry |
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| Population: | 42,800,000 (2001) |
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| Per capita GDP: | $1,958 (2000) |
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| Telephone density: | 17.05 per 100 inhabitants (2001) |
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| Cellular density: | 7.38 per 100 inhabitants (2001) |
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| Equipment market size: | $415.5 million (2000) |
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| U.S. telecom equipment exports: | $159.7 million (2001) |
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| Telecom services revenue: | $2.29 billion (2000) |
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| WTO Basic Telecom Services Agreement signatory: | Yes |
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| Market environment: | There have been no attempts to privatize TELECOM, the monopoly basic telecommunications services operator for the past 50 years, since a failed attempt in 1992. The Government of Colombia (GOC), however, has liberalized the sector to create a competitive environment. The framework for competition in domestic and international long distance services was established in August 1997 and divided regulation of the sector between the Ministry of Telecommunications, the Regulatory Commission (CRT) and the Superintendency of Public Services. In 1998, competition to TELECOM was established as domestic and international long distance licenses were granted to ORBITEL, Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM), and Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogota (ETB). ETB is now the largest local telephone company in Colombia.
The CRT sets the tariff regime until the end of 1999, after which the CRT will supervise rates to insure fair competition and to protect the public welfare. There is private competition in cellular, paging, trunked radio, radio and TV broadcasting, and value-added services. Exclusivity in the mobile telephony market expires in September 1999. The Government of Colombia (GOC) then plans to issue six Personal Communications Services (PCS) licenses. President Pastrana recently signed legislation that will allow LMDS providers to operate in the country for the first time. TDMA has been widely adopted as the preferred digital technology and most networks are now fully digitized.
Imports account for 85 percent of the Colombian telecommunications equipment market and the United States is the leader in telecommunications imports with nearly 40 percent of the import market. Import tariffs have been substantially reduced and most prior import licensing requirements have been eliminated. Some major equipment suppliers to this market are Alcatel, Nortel and Ericsson.
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| Regulatory authorities: | MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
Edificio Murillo Toro - Carrera 7 Calles 11 and 12 - Piso 4
Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 3442200
Fax: 57 1 3443433
Angela Montoya Holguin, Minister
Samuel Velasquez Uribe, Vice Minister
Juan Guillermo, Secretary General
Online:
http://www.mincomunicaciones.gov.co/
Comisión de Regulación de Telecomunicaciones - CRT
Carrera 11, No 93-46, piso 2
Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 6355550
Fax: 57 1 6355551
Carlos Eduardo Balca y Valenzuda, Director
Comisión Nacional de Televisión - CNT
Calle 93, No 16-25
Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 6352240
Fax: 57 1 6352421
Ricardo Lombano Moscoso, Director
Instituto Nacional de Radio y Televisíón
Avenida el Dorado CAN
Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 2225260
Fax: 57 1 2216612
Edgar Plazas Herrera, Executive Director
Telecommunications Research Centre - CINTEL
Avenida 9, No 118-85
Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 6208307
Fax: 57 1 2144121 |
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| Network operators: | Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (TELECOM)
Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM)
Empresa de Teléfonos de Santafé de Bogotá (EBT)
ORBITEL |
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| Additional resources: | Steve Green
Office of Telecommunications Technologies
U.S. Department of Commerce
Tel: (202) 482-4202
Fax: (202) 482-5834
E-mail: steve_green@ita.doc.gov
Maria Teresa Pena de Arrubla, Telecom Analyst
Commercial Section
U.S. Embassy - Colombia
Tel: 2126/2298 ext. 2796
Fax: 57/1-315-2171
E-mail: Maria.Teresa.Pena@mail.doc.gov |
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