Executive Summary
Paraguay's telecom system is one of the least developed in Latin America. Despite repeated attempts at privatisation and liberalisation, the fixed-line sector remains a state-owned monopoly. The incumbent, Copaco, is known for inefficiency and overstaffing.
The mobile market is on the other hand highly competitive, with four mobile companies vying for market share. Paraguay has the highest mobile-to-fixed-line ratio in Latin America, with mobile phones surpassing fixed-lines in service at a rate of fourteen to one.
The Internet market is also open to competition, and there are over a dozen ISPs offering services. Several companies offer retail broadband, using ADSL, WiMAX, and cable modem technologies, but broadband uptake is still low, speeds are poor, and prices are high though decreasing.
In terms of fixed-line teledensity and Internet penetration, Paraguay occupies the last place in South America, while it scores third lowest in terms of GDP per capita. Mobile penetration, however, is about 12% higher than the regional average-an outstanding performance compared with the country's general economic indicators.
Key Highlights
*In March 2009, the wholesale Internet market was liberalised, and Copaco lost its monopoly over the international backbone for Internet connectivity. For more information, see Paraguay-Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband, chapter 5.4.1.
*Attempts to liberalise VoIP have so far failed, but are ongoing. To protect Copaco from competition, private companies are not allowed to offer VoIP services. For more information, see Paraguay-Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband, chapter 7.3.2.
*In January 2009, the government announced it was investing US$235 million to expand Copaco's fixed-line and fixed-wireless user base and improve the availability of broadband services, and that it hoped to raise the number of fixed line users from about 400,000 to one million. For more information, see Paraguay-Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband, chapter 7.1.
Table of Contents
1. Synopsis
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
4. Telecommunications market
4.1 Overview of Paraguay's telecom market
4.2 Market analysis
5. Regulatory environment
5.1 Background
5.2 Regulatory authority
5.2.1 Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel)
5.3 Privatisation of Copaco (not implemented)
5.4 Telecom sector liberalisation in Paraguay
5.4.1 Wholesale Internet market liberalisation
5.5 Universal Service Fund
5.6 Foreign investment
5.7 Per-second billing
6. Fixed network operator in Paraguay
6.1 Copaco
7. Telecommunications infrastructure
7.1 National telecom network
7.1.1 Fixed-line statistics
7.1.2 Public payphones
7.2 International infrastructure
7.3 Infrastructure developments
7.3.1 Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
7.3.2 IP and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
8. Internet market
8.1 Overview
8.1.1 Internet statistics
9. Broadband market
9.1 Overview
9.1.1 Broadband statistics
9.2 Cable modems
9.3 Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
9.4 WiMAX
10. Convergence
10.1 Overview of media convergence
10.2 Pay TV
11. Mobile communications
11.1 Overview of Paraguay's mobile market
11.1.1 Mobile statistics
11.2 Mobile technologies
11.2.1 Digital
11.2.2 Third generation (3G) mobile
11.3 Major mobile operators
11.3.1 Tigo (Millicom International Cellular)
11.3.2 Núcleo (Telecom Personal/Telecom Argentina)
11.3.3 Claro (América Móvil)
11.3.4 Vox (Hola Paraguay/KDDI)
11.4 Mobile voice services
11.4.1 Satellite mobile
11.5 Mobile data services
12. Related reports
Table 1-Country statistics Paraguay-2008
Table 2-Telephone network statistics-2008
Table 3-Internet user statistics-2008
Table 4-Broadband statistics-2008
Table 5-Mobile statistics-2008
Table 6-National telecommunications authority
Table 7-Fixed lines in service, annual change and teledensity-2000-2008
Table 8-Internet users, annual change and user penetration-1997-2008
Table 9-Broadband subscribers, annual change and penetration-2002-2008
Table 10-Mobile subscribers by operator and technology-2008
Table 11-Mobile subscribers, annual change and penetration rate-1998-2008
Table 12-Mobile operators'market share-2003-2008
Exhibit 1-Licensed mobile companies
