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Colombian telecoms operator UNE EPM is studying the feasibility of launching an MVNO operation in the US, international market VP and 4G project leader Juan Ignacio Palacio told BNamericas.

“If we decided to launch the MVNO operation, this will happen by the end of the year. The launch of the MVNO would be a gradual process due to the size of the market,” Palacio said.

The telco also has an MVNO operation in Spain, mainly geared towards Latin Americans living there, Palacio said. That MVNO operation, offered through UNE’s subsidiary Orbitel, was possible due to an agreement with mobile operator Vodafone, the executive said.

“In Spain we currently have approximately 89,000 subscribers. We are expecting to reach approximately 150,000 subscribers by mid-2012,” he added. The Orbitel operation in Spain is slated to generate approximately 33mn euros (US$44.4mn) in revenues in 2011 alone.

UNE also operates in the US, Canada and Spain in the prepaid calling card business.

UNE’s international business currently moves approximately US$145mn a year. “The prepaid calling card business is very significant for us but it is reaching a saturation point. This is why we are also focusing on MVNO operations,” Palacio said.

In Colombia, UNE EPM offers fixed voice, broadband and TV services through a national network covering the cities of Bogotá, Villavicencio, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Armenia, Manizales, Medellín, Pereira, Ibagué, Barranquilla and Cali.

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