Entel said the added capacity will support use cases that depend on low latency and high reliability, including telemedicine, connected education, and industrial automation
In sum – what to know:
Up to 100 MHz activated – Entel increased its usable 5G spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band from 20 MHz to 80–100 MHz, depending on location.
Capacity gains – Wider contiguous spectrum supports faster speeds, lower latency, and better performance for high-demand consumer and enterprise applications.
Investment-backed expansion – The upgrade aligns with Entel’s plan to invest over $200 million in Peru’s mobile networks, as 5G device adoption continues to climb.
Entel Peru is accelerating the expansion of its 5G network by significantly increasing the amount of mid-band spectrum it is using in the 3.5 GHz band, following spectrum awards completed late last year.
The Peruvian operator said it has expanded its active 5G bandwidth from 20 megahertz to between 80 and 100 megahertz of contiguous spectrum, depending on the location. The move is designed to boost network capacity, improve speeds, and reduce latency as demand for data-intensive services in the South American nation continues to rise.
The 3.5 GHz band is widely viewed as the core frequency for 5G deployments because it balances coverage and capacity. By aggregating a larger block of continuous spectrum, Entel noted it expects to deliver more consistent performance, particularly in dense urban areas and high-traffic locations.
According to the company, the added capacity will support use cases that depend on low latency and high reliability, including telemedicine, connected education, industrial automation, and real-time enterprise services, while also improving everyday mobile broadband performance for consumers.
The spectrum upgrade is part of Entel’s broader investment strategy in Peru. The operator plans to invest more than $200 million in its mobile network, with spending directed toward both 4G modernization and 5G expansion nationwide.
Last year, rival operator Claro Perú had conducted trials of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology, reaching peak download speeds of 10 Gbps — up to ten times faster than conventional 5G.
The tests were carried out in a controlled environment using standalone architecture, mid-band and millimeter-wave spectrum and supported by Chinese vendor Huawei.
Four of the country’s mobile operators – Bitel, Claro, Entel and Integratel – have obtained spectrum for 5G deployment in September last year. By the end of 2025, the country had more than 4.3 million connected 5G devices, according to data from the telecommunications regulator.
