Bitel - Peru

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Bitel
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Peru Flag of Peru View country details


Bitel (Peru) uses 2 UMTS bands, 6 LTE bands, and 1 5G NR band. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Bitel (Peru). See the tables below for details.

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Carrier website: https://bitel.com.pe/

Last updated: 2024/08/05 - See latest updates

Bitel is a mobile carrier operating in Peru, known for being the first operator to use only a 3G network in the country. It has a subscriber base of 1.6 million and covers approximately 80% of the country with its network infrastructure. Bitel has been operational since 2011 and has been instrumental in laying down the infrastructure for Peru’s largest fiber optic network, which spans 24 regions and totals 17,000 km.

Coverage and Infrastructure

  • Coverage: Bitel's 3G, 4G, and 5G networks cover various regions in Peru, including Lima, Arequipa, Callao, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Iquitos, Huancayo, Piura, Chimbote, Cusco, Pucallpa, Tacna, Ica, Juliaca, and Sullana.
  • Fiber Optic Network: Bitel has invested heavily in laying down a significant fiber optic network, which is crucial for its operations and future expansion plans.

Performance and Awards

  • Consistent Quality: Bitel ranks lower in terms of consistent quality, with a score of 30.9%, compared to its competitors like Entel, Claro, and Movistar.
  • Upload Speed: Bitel has acquired additional spectrum, which should help improve its upload speeds and reduce congestion. However, it lags behind Entel in upload speed performance.
  • Video Experience: Bitel’s video experience is rated as Poor, with a score of 41.4 points, compared to Claro’s Good rating of 58.1 points and Movistar’s Fair rating of 54 points.

Spectrum Acquisition

  • Spectrum Expansion: In June 2023, Bitel acquired additional spectrum, including 2×30MHz in the 1700MHz band and 1×30MHz in the 2300MHz band. This acquisition is aimed at extending 4G coverage to 3,825 unserved or underserved rural locations, with a significant investment of around $600 million.

Data Collection and Visualization

  • nPerf Maps: The nPerf app collects data from users to create comprehensive coverage maps. These maps are updated hourly for network coverage and every 15 minutes for speed data. The data is displayed for two years, with the oldest data removed monthly.
  • Opensignal App: Opensignal also provides detailed coverage maps for Bitel and other major networks in Peru, based on crowdsourced data from its global community of app users.

Overall, while Bitel has made significant strides in expanding its network infrastructure and acquiring additional spectrum, it still faces challenges in terms of performance and coverage compared to its competitors.

Frequency Bands

UMTS

Name Interface Description
B2 (1900 MHz PCS) UMTS

Bitel Peru uses the UMTS B2 (1900 MHz PCS) frequency band for its 3G services. This deployment was part of its initial network setup in 2014, when Bitel launched its 4G/LTE network on the 900 MHz band (Band 8) and expanded its 3G coverage on the 900 MHz and 1900 MHz bands.
B8 (900 MHz GSM) UMTS

Bitel Peru uses the UMTS B8 (900 MHz GSM) frequency band. This band is utilized for both GSM and UMTS services, providing coverage and connectivity to its subscribers. The deployment of this band is part of Bitel's strategy to offer high-speed mobile broadband services efficiently, leveraging its existing infrastructure and spectrum resources.

LTE

Name Interface Description
B2 (1900 MHz PCS) LTE

Bitel Peru uses the LTE B2 (1900 MHz PCS) frequency band. The deployment date is not specified.
B7 (2600 MHz) LTE

Bitel Peru uses the LTE frequency band B7 (2600 MHz) for its 4G+ services. This deployment supports both bands, enhancing the overall LTE coverage in Peru, particularly in major cities like Lima.
B8 (900 MHz) LTE

Bitel Peru uses the LTE frequency band B8 (900 MHz) for its 4G/LTE network. This deployment was initiated in 2016, covering 500 population centers with 1,750 4G base stations.
B38 (TD 2600 MHz) LTE

Bitel Peru uses LTE band B38 (TD 2600 MHz). The deployment date is unknown.
B40 (TD 2300 MHz) LTE

Bitel Peru uses LTE Band 40 (TD 2300 MHz) for its 4G network. This band operates in the 2300 MHz spectrum range, leveraging Time Division Duplexing (TDD) technology. The 2300 MHz range is particularly suitable for dense urban areas where high data throughput is essential. Band 40 is recognized as one of the top-10 most implemented LTE bands globally, known for its effective use of spectrum resources, scalability, and performance metrics that cater well to modern data-intensive applications.
B66 (1700/2100 MHz) LTE

Bitel Peru uses the LTE frequency band B66 (1700/2100 MHz).

5G NR

Name Interface Description
N78 (3500 MHz) 5G NR

Bitel Peru uses the 5G NR frequency band n78 (3500 MHz) for its 5G services. This band is designated for Time Division Duplexing (TDD) and operates in the 3300 to 3800 MHz range. It supports channel bandwidths from 10 MHz to 100 MHz, with the most popular channel width being 100 MHz. The deployment of this band is part of Bitel's efforts to provide high-capacity 5G services, leveraging advanced technologies like massive MIMO, beam-forming, and beam-tracking to mitigate the limited range and building penetration issues associated with higher frequencies.

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