Bolivia

Mobile networks and carriers in Bolivia use 2 GSM bands, 1 UMTS band, and 7 LTE bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work in Bolivia. See the tables below for details.

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Bolivia's mobile network is characterized by a competitive market with several key players. The country's mobile network development has been marked by significant events and trends. Here is a brief overview:

Key Players

• Entel: The state-owned incumbent long-distance operator, offering local telephony, DSL, and pay TV services. Its subsidiary, Entel Movil, is Bolivia's largest mobile network provider.
• Tigo: Wholly owned by Luxembourg-based Millicom International, offering 3G and LTE services. Tigo launched the first LTE services in mid-2014.
• Viva: Controlled by Trilogy International, offering 3G and LTE services. Viva launched LTE services in mid-2015.

Market Dynamics

• Equity Sale: In 2022, Trilogy International Partners sold 71.5% of its equity interest in NuevaTel (Viva) to Balesia Technologies, Inc.
• Competitive Awards: The mobile network experience report by Opensignal in May 2022 highlighted a fiercely competitive market with joint wins among operators. Viva won awards for Voice App Experience and Availability, while Tigo won both Core and Excellent Consistent Quality awards. There was a three-way tie for Download and Upload Speed Experience awards, with Tigo and Viva jointly winning Games and Video Experience awards. Entel and Tigo shared the 4G Coverage Experience award.

Regulatory Environment

• National Broadband Initiatives: The country has been implementing National Broadband Initiatives to expand and upgrade mobile and fiber network infrastructure. This includes the Fiber Optics Communications Installation Project (IFO) aimed at improving telecom services.

Market Size and Growth

• Revenue Growth: The total telecom and pay-TV service revenue in Bolivia reached $2.1 billion in 2023, with a CAGR of over 3% from 2023 to 2028. This growth is driven by increases in fixed broadband and mobile data revenues.

Internet Speed

• Fixed Network: Bolivia ranks 123rd in international comparisons for fixed-network broadband internet, with an average download speed of 32.71 Mbit/second and an upload speed of 15.33 Mbit/second.
• Mobile Internet: The country ranks 138th for mobile internet, with a download speed of 10.24 Mbit/second and an upload speed of around 9 Mbit/second.

Cost of Mobile Services

• Monthly Budget: The average monthly budget for mobile services in Bolivia is around $20.20, which includes 140 telephony minutes, 70 text messages, and 2 GBytes of data. This represents 7.4% of the average Bolivian's income, significantly higher than the global average of 5.4%.

Historical Development

• Early Development: Bolivia's mobile network development has been influenced by the liberalization of the telecom market, which allowed for the entry of private operators. This led to significant investments in network upgrades and the expansion of services.
• Challenges: Despite progress, the country still faces challenges such as poor quality, high costs, and limited reach of DSL services. Mobile networks have become the primary platform for voice services and data access due to these limitations.

Overall, Bolivia's mobile network landscape is characterized by a competitive market with significant investments in network infrastructure and a growing demand for mobile data services.

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Carriers

Name	# of frequency bands in use
Entel	9
Tigo	5
Viva	4

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Frequencies in use

GSM

Name	Interface
850 MHz	GSM
1900 MHz (PCS)	GSM

UMTS

Name	Interface
B5 (850 MHz)	UMTS

LTE

Name	Interface
B2 (1900 MHz PCS)	LTE
B4 (1700/2100 MHz AWS 1)	LTE
B12 (700 MHz ac)	LTE
B13 (700 MHz c)	LTE
B17 (700 MHz bc)	LTE
B28 (700 MHz APT)	LTE
B44 (TD 700 MHz)	LTE

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