2017 Peru - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Peru’s investment agency tenders for major cable infrastructure project

Peru’s fixed-line teledensity is among the lowest in South America, the result of a number of obstacles to growth including widespread poverty, fixed-to-mobile substitution, expensive telephone services, and geographical inaccessibility in rugged mountainous and lowland jungle areas. The Telecommunications Investment Fund provides subsidies for telecom services in such areas where there is little economic return for private providers. The government continues to address these shortcomings via ambitious projects Most of the work will be complete by the end of 2017, when eight regional fibre-based networks will be connected to the National Fibre-Optic Backbone.

Broadband penetration is also considerably lower than the regional, despite the government efforts to encourage the development of the sector. Most internet connections are via the mobile networks. Operators have steadily increased the footprint and capability of their mobile data offerings using spectrum in the 700MHhz band, made available to them in 2016.

There is effective competition in the mobile market, with four MNOs and a small number of MVNOs operating. Viettel, trading as Bitel, has quickly gained market share during the last two years. Virgin Mobile became the first MVNO to launch services, in September 2016. Its parent company VMLA sold the unit in late 2017.

This report provides an overview of Peru’s telecom infrastructure, together with profiles of the major fixed-line operators. It also covers the mobile voice and data markets, including developments in technology deployments and spectrum auctions. In addition the report covers the fixed-line and wireless broadband markets, accompanied by relevant statistics, analyses and subscribers forecasts.

Key developments:

• Investment agency ProInversion opens tender for $163.7 million 5,336km cable infrastructure project;
• Movistar and Google extend balloon-based broadband delivery trials;
• Movistar to deploy converged DOCSIS3.1 and FttP network;
• Virgin Mobile Latin America sells its Virgin Mobile Peru unit to Inkacel;
• 901,000 blacklisted mobile devices blocked,
• Growth in mobile number portability stimulating competition;
• Claro Perú and Movistar Perú extend TD-LTE in remote areas;
• Regulator claims MNOs need to provide an additional 17,535 base stations by 2025;
• Report update includes the regulator’s data updates to June 2017, telcos’ financial and operating data to Q3 2017, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Telefónica del Perú (Movistar Perú), América Móvil Perú (Claro Perú), Americatel Perú, Gamacon, IDT, Convergia, Gilat To Home Perú, Rural Telecom, Valtron, Nextel Perú, Terra Perú, EMax, Olo del Perú (Olo), VelaTel/Perusat, Star Global Com, Best Cable Peru, DirecTV, Entel Perú, Viettel Peru (Bitel), Virgin Mobile.