Roundup: 5G spectrum, AI law, regulatory simplification and more

Spectrum allocation

Peru's transport and communications ministry published a draft regulation that enables direct spectrum allocation, aimed at promoting 5G.

The draft is available here, in Spanish, and the public consultation is open through January 6, 2025.

Spectrum will be allocated after calls for expressions of interest, ensuring transparency and efficiency.

According to the draft, companies will have to commit investments focused on closing 4G connectivity gaps and boosting access to 5G.

5G tender

Paraguayan regulator Conatel extended the public consultation period on the draft general terms and conditions for 5G frequencies until December 27.

The extension was requested by mobile operators Núcleo (Personal) and Telecel (Tigo) to give them more time to analyze the documents and deployment project.

An auction for spectrum in the 3,500MHz band is planned for 1Q25.

Artificial intelligence law

Venezuela's national assembly plans to further debate an artificial intelligence law during the first quarter of next year, according to a press release. 

The bill was approved after an initial debate in November.

The assembly's education, health, science, technology and innovation committee is also working on social network legislation and a law on industrial property.

Bills on copyrights, digital identity and smart cities are advancing, the release said.

Regulatory simplification

Colombian regulator CRC plans to simplify 174 provisions of the current IT framework.

The plans include the elimination of blocking of mobile devices due to non-certification, the creation of a unified reporting format for small internet service providers, implementing a single convergent contract and the elimination of quality indicators for 3G mobile voice services.

Comments on the planned simplifications may be submitted through March 3, 2025. Details are available here.

Network monitoring

Colombia's ICT ministry and Google Cloud opened an 8bn-peso (US$1.83mn) center to continuously monitor and inspect antenna communications services, aimed at detecting service failures and optimizing network coverage.

The center will measure the quality indicators of download speed, upload speed, ping, latency and packet loss.

2025 plan

Spectrum agency ANE is seeking comment on the 2025 action plan, which is part of Colombia's 2025-28 strategic plan.

The plan is available here, and comments may be submitted through January 20.