Podcast: The impact of regulatory turmoil on 5G auctions in Latin America

Although Europe and North America have assigned most of their low, mid and high band spectrum for 5G, countries in Latin America are currently auctioning their 5G bands. In the last two years, PolicyTracker has reported on auctions in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and more recently in Costa Rica and Venezuela.

Almost none of these auctions has been straightforward for regulators. There have been delays caused by lawsuits against the state, mergers, underdeveloped infrastructure, a lack of sufficient financial investment, or fiscal scandals. 

In some cases, policy has been turned upside down. The most significant example is Mexico. In the last six months, the government has dissolved the regulator, cancelled an auction and set up a new authority. There’s also pressure from outside. The US plays a significant role in Latin America’s telecoms market—uncertainty reigns about the impact Trump and Musk will have on Latin American countries.

Gonzalez takes us through the latest developments: Mexico’s regulator being dissolved, a merger in Colombia, and an auction in Costa Rica. He also discusses the interest in Starlink and direct-to-device connectivity and what these new trends could mean for the Latin American telecoms market.

According to Gonzales, the market remains resilient regardless of the political and geopolitical changes. “Uncertainty is Latin America’s bread and butter,” he says.

Listen to the new podcast below. You can also find it on all major podcast platforms.