ICT: The week in 10 stories

PERU

Peru's transport and communications ministry (MTC) plans to tender spectrum in the 1,750-1,780MHz and 2,150-2,180MHz (AWS-3) bands, as well as the 2,300-2,330GHz bands to boost coverage and capacity for 4G and upcoming 5G technologies.

COLOMBIA

Simplification and flexibility are two key elements that Colombian telecommunications regulator CRC is aiming for as part of a regulatory rethink, which is designed to lay the groundwork for promoting more investment in the sector.

URUGUAY

The Uruguayan government has launched a program for the technological modernization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rico is building a new internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) lab in the northeastern district of Bayamón, with the aim of developing technology to help create smart cities in the US territory and protect it from storms, according to media reports.

MEXICO

Mexico published the draft bases to tender a connectivity project using 50,000km of fiber optics belonging to the state-owned utility CFE, aiming at connecting the country's more remote and marginalized areas, while allowing the tender winner to offer additional capacity to offer telecommunications services.

REGIONAL

Samsung has no plans to bring its Galaxy Fold model to Latin America in the short-term, company executives said Tuesday during a press conference at the company's Latin American headquarters in São Paulo.

REGIONAL

US online payments company PayPal has agreed to invest US$750mn in MercadoLibre as part of the Buenos Aires-based regional e-commerce giant's US$1.8bn equity offering.

ARGENTINA

The development and financing agency of Argentina's La Rioja province has launched a program to bolster the development of the software industry in the province.

BRAZIL

Qualcomm will set up its hotly anticipated semiconductor factory in the Brazilian city of Jaguariúna, adjacent to the Campinas technology hub in São Paulo state, according to Rafael Steinhauser, the US chipset manufacturer's Latin American head.

HAITI

Digicel is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit by US-based Haitian migrants accusing the Caribbean and Pacific Islands telco of being part of a conspiracy to divert tax proceeds from international telephone calls and remittances.