Regulator refuses to renew 800MHz concession for Chile’s WOM

Details: Vaughan O'Grady; Category: Regulation; 29 October 2026; 662 views

Chilean regulator Subtel has refused to renew concessions in the 800MHz band for operator WOM, apparently due to lack of use. Indeed, the operator has not had customers on these frequencies since 2 November 2016.

The decision is said to be part of the authority's efforts to recover radio spectrum that is currently not used.

As news service Pisapapeles explains, the 800MHz band was assigned in 1995 to Telecom Celular, Telefónica del Sur and Radio Móvil Digital América. It eventually moved to Nextel Chile and then to WOM.

Originally, it was intended for radio communication services, such as multi-RTA community repeater systems. However, these frequencies are clearly also attractive for newer technologies.

Presumably, this is why WOM’s renewal request referenced LTE. However, Subtel does not seem to have been convinced, pointing out that renewing the concessions for another 30 years would mean maintaining a spectrum allocation without effective use or benefits for users.

In addition, Subtel has warned that keeping idle frequencies could favour hoarding and generate risks for the competition. The country’s National Digital Plan, which focuses on reorganising and recovering unused spectrum, is undoubtedly a driver for this decision. Whether WOM will appeal the resolution or what the destination of these frequencies will eventually be if they don’t go to WOM is so far unknown.

WOM has had a troubled history in recent years, including emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2025, though it is still one of the largest telecommunications companies in Chile, alongside Movistar, Claro and market leader Entel.

Accurate figures are hard to come by but available data suggests that WOM has about a fifth of the mobile subscriber market, placing it fourth overall, but about a quarter of mobile internet lines, putting it second in that sector.