en.Wedoany.com Reported - Tigo and Personal have submitted applications to participate in a new round of 5G spectrum bidding organized by Paraguay's National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel). Both operators had opted out of the first 5G spectrum tender in 2025.

The regulator confirmed that it has received applications from Telefónica Celular del Paraguay S.A.E. (operator of the Tigo brand) and Núcleo S.A. (operator of the Personal brand). These applications are part of Tender No. 01/2026, aimed at granting licenses to use the 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands for providing mobile telephony, internet access, and data transmission services.

Conatel stated that it will continue evaluating the applications in accordance with the tender rules and current regulations, but did not disclose details of the bids submitted by the operators.

The tender was launched in June this year to expand access to radio spectrum and accelerate the rollout of 5G services in Paraguay. Under the tender conditions, winning bidders must assume an investment commitment of at least $40 million for network infrastructure, equipment from trusted suppliers, and related implementation services.

Additionally, the tender rules require that the network be deployed using technology compliant with 5G NR Release 15 or later standards.

This tender comes less than a year after Paraguay's first 5G spectrum auction, in which Claro and Argentine supplier Nubicom were awarded spectrum, while Tigo and Personal decided not to participate due to conditions regarding technology supplier origins.

The previous tender was also questioned over allegations that Nubicom failed to meet requirements for obtaining spectrum. Although the company announced a $200 million investment to deploy a 5G network in Paraguay, no implementation progress has been reported to date, prompting an investigation into compliance with its commitments.

Meanwhile, Claro launched the country's first commercial 5G network in December 2025, with an initial investment of $35 million.