11 February 2025

WOM Colombia has announced plans to roll out its 5G networks this year, following a recent bailout from new investors that rescued the operator from bankruptcy.

In an interview with Forbes, WOM Colombia CEO Ramiro Lafarga said that the company will commence its 5G deployment in the country’s major cities during the second half of the year.

Sur Holdings have acquired a majority stake in Colombia’s fourth-largest operator from Novator Partners, which will remain a minority stakeholder. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. Lafarga said that the new shareholder has provided additional resources, enabling WOM to achieve profitability sooner.

The Colombian government supported WOM’s survival by granting a three-year grace period on spectrum payments, aiming to preserve the country’s four-operator market and prevent a duopoly between Claro and the merging entity of Tigo-Movistar.