The government will attempt once again to attract a third operator to offer mobile phone service in the country, following the exit of Digicel between 2023 and 2024 and failed attempts to bid the process under previous administrations. Zelmar Rodríguez, administrator of the National Authority of Public Services (Asep), announced on Monday, March 23, that the pre-qualification process to secure a third telecommunications operator will begin in May and will take 7 months for interested parties to review the requirements. The bidding is expected to take place by the end of the year, with the new operator potentially launching operations in the first quarter of 2027. "We are looking for a mobile operator that is present in the country, has its own infrastructure, and allows for service quality, competition, and prices for users," she added. Rodríguez stated that the measure is aimed at increasing competition in the market and dismissed any connection with the recent investigation opened by Acodeco into anti-competitive practices due to tariff hikes by Más Móvil and TIGO. "This process started with our arrival in 2024; it's a project to have a third operator in the country for greater competition. It has no relation to that issue [Acodeco investigation]," Rodríguez assured. She also noted that, unlike previous bids, there is now a strong interest from several investors to participate. Alkin Saucedo, director of telecommunications, indicated that in light of past failed bids to bring in a third operator, measures have been taken to ensure this new attempt is successful. "We have learned from those processes, and therefore, the regulation regarding interconnection costs has been improved, and a greater amount of 5G spectrum has been made available internationally. Additionally, we are working on the effective use of existing infrastructure for shared operations," explained Saucedo. According to ASEP data, the Panamanian mobile phone market exceeds five million active lines by the end of 2025, with a predominance of the prepaid segment (79%) over postpaid (21%). These figures, along with macroeconomic indicators, sector trends, and details on available radio spectrum, are part of the content on the portal, designed as a showcase to highlight the country's competitive advantages and support the viability of a new operator. The agency also reported that the microsite includes information on digital infrastructure—such as towers, fiber optic cables, submarine cables, and data centers—as well as the current legal framework and documentation related to the bidding. With this initiative, Asep aims to strengthen the telecommunications ecosystem, expand service offerings, and consolidate a more competitive environment that meets the growing demand for connectivity in the country.
