3.5 Telecommunications Colombia Telecommunications

For information on Colombia telecommunications contact details, please see the following link:

4.2.9 Colombia Additional Service Provision Contact List

The telecommunications sector in Colombia is regulated by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

This sector is for the government one of the sectors with the greatest potential, so there are major investments on this sector in government plans, such as the project "digital live", which seeks to extend information technology to the most deprived and remote areas of the country, especially to reach students.

Companies that lead the sector are offering latest technology, wide coverage and promotional packages that include multiple services: Mobile telephony, landline, television, broadband , data plans, etc.

Regarding mobile telephony, from June 2014 users are not obligated to clauses of permanence, there is freedom in buying cell phones, and can be migrated to other operators without penalty.

Telephone Services

Is there an existing landline telephone network?

(Yes / No)

Does it allow international calls? Yes

(Yes / No)

On average, number and length of downtime periods

2 min / per week

Mobile phone providers (List) Colombia, , TIGO, Virgin Mobile, UFF, UNE – EPM, ETB and Avantel.

Estimated availability and coverage 80%

(Approximate percentage of national coverage)

Telecommunication Regulation

The radio communications, for reasons of distress, urgency or safety is regulated in Colombia as Auxiliary Services Assistance; Act 1900 of 1990, Decree 1212 of 2004 regulates, and Resolution 1201 of 2004, attributes and designate frequencies used for the operation.

These Auxiliary Services Assistance are provided by emergency agencies duly recognized, authorized by a license granted by the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, subject to compliance the applicable rules.

Regulations

Regulations on usage or import of: Yes / No Regulating Authority

Satellite Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

HF Radio Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

UHF/VHF/HF radio: handheld, base and mobile Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

UHF/VHF repeaters Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

GPS Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

VSAT Yes Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

Individual Network Operator Licenses Required: Yes. Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

Frequency Licenses Required: Yes. Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

Page 1 Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

The current UN telecommunication systems in Colombia are managed by UN Department of Safety and Security – UNDSS, who provides service to all UN agencies.

All UN agencies in Colombia shared HF and VHF; And WFP have their independent VSATs.

Upon request, the system VSATs may be available for use.

Existing UN Telecommunication Systems

Organisations UNDP / WFP

VHF frequencies 11 Frequencies.

HF frequencies 7 Frequencies.

Repeaters Cover the entire Country, except Amazon Region.

(Locations)

VSAT WFP

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