Mobile Accounted for 3.8 Per Cent of GDP and 64,000 Jobs in Colombia in 2016;
GSMA Proposes Regulatory Recommendations to Foster Colombian Digital Ecosystem
and Promote Innovation and Further Investment
Cartagena, Colombia: Mobile technologies and services accounted for 3.8 per cent of global GDP in Colombia in 2016, equivalent to $10 billion of economic value, according to a new GSMA report. The study Country overview Colombia - Mobile industry collaborating with government to promote entrepreneurship and innovation' was published today at the Congreso Latinoamericano de Telecomunicaciones 2017 (CLT17), being held 20-23 June 2017 in Cartagena, Colombia.
Local mobile operators have been driving the Colombian digital agenda, investing $9 billion in networks and spectrum since the start of the decade, according to the new report. As a result of these investments, mobile broadband coverage in Colombia now reaches more than 92 per cent of the population for 3G and 65 per cent for 4G. It is forecast that capital investments will total more than $5 billion over the next four years (2017 through 2020), as operators continue to extend reach and add extra capacity.
GSMA Intelligence forecasts that the value of the mobile sector to the Colombian economy will increase from $10 billion in 2016 (3.8 per cent of total GDP) to $13 billion (4.2 per cent of projected GDP) by 2020. This GDP impact includes both direct and indirect contributions, as well as the productivity gains made possible by mobile technology and services. The mobile ecosystem supported around 64,000 jobs (direct and indirect) in Colombia 2016, and contributed $2.3 billion to public sector funding in the form of taxes and other regulatory fees.
Although the government has been supportive of the digital economy, primarily through its infrastructure and inclusion programmes, further regulatory modernisation is needed to ensure a dynamic, competitive environment for all ecosystem players, encouraging investment and innovation, said Sebastian Cabello, Head of Latin America at the GSMA.
The GSMA has identified six key recommendations designed to modernise and update Colombia's regulatory framework:
Promote convergence and remove barriers to providing converged services, maximising the benefits for users;
Level the playing field in the digital ecosystem to give users the same level of protection regardless of the communications platform they use;
Enhance user experience by encouraging competition in quality of service;
Create a single converged regulator to act across the digital ecosystem;
Remove sector-specific taxes to allow greater affordability and universality of services; and
Optimise radio spectrum as a key input for industry development.
Colombia is the fourth-largest mobile market in Latin America behind Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, according to GSMA Intelligence data. There were more than 32.3 million unique mobile subscribers in Colombia at Q1 2017, representing 66 per cent of the population. There were 52.8 million total mobile connections in Colombia by this point, almost half of which (46 per cent) were smartphone connections. Smartphones are forecast to account for 67 per cent of the 61.5 million mobile connections expected in 2020.
The GSMA and mobile operators are united to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Colombia. The report showcases a series of case studies that highlight how mobile is playing a key role in tackling various social and economic challenges around poverty eradication, education, employment, infrastructure, inequality reduction, safer cities, responsible consumption and production, and environment protection, among others. All these aspects will be discussed at the CLT17 in Cartagena, where the GSMA will lead a panel discussion with speakers including: Daniel Quintero Vice Minister of ICT of Colombia; Alfonso G mez Palacio, President of Telef nica Colombia; Ana Lucia Lenis, Senior Manager Government Affairs and Public Policy Andean and Central Region at Google; and Martha Castellanos, Manager of the National Education Plan 2016-2025 at the Ministry of Education of Colombia.
The new report, Country overview Colombia - Mobile industry collaborating with government to promote entrepreneurship and innovation', was authored by GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA. To access the full report and related infographics, please visit: www.gsma.com/latinamerica/colombia-report.
-ENDS-
Translations:
Spanish
Portuguese
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
Media Contacts:
For the GSMA
Mauro Accurso
+54 (9)11 3251 9811
maccurso@gsma.com
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
Mobile Accounted for 3.8 Per Cent of GDP and 64,000 Jobs in Colombia in 2016; 
