Claro Colombia has signed its first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) hosting agreement, opening its network to Movil Exito in a deal that adds a second host option for the retailer's approximately 2.2 million subscribers.

Until now, Tigo and Movistar served as the main infrastructure platforms for MVNOs in Colombia. The new contract, reported by El Colombiano, gives Movil Exito access to the market leader's 4G and 5G networks while preserving its existing arrangement with Tigo. Customers who move to the Claro option can keep their current numbers.

What does the deal change for Colombia's MVNO market?

The agreement lands as Tigo and Movistar fold into a single business under Millicom, shrinking the field of independent wholesale counterparts available to MVNOs. Claro's entry partially offsets that consolidation by adding a third major network option for resellers.

The broader market context underscores the stakes. CRC and Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies data put Colombia's total mobile base at 92.9 million lines in 2025. Claro led with 44.8%, and the combined Tigo-Movistar business held 41.5%. The remaining slice is split across smaller operators and MVNOs.

How does Claro's footprint compare?

According to El Colombiano, Claro's 4G network reaches all 1,104 municipalities in Colombia, backed by more than 10,600 towers. Its 5G service runs in more than 100 cities. That geographic depth is the asset Movil Exito gains under the new hosting terms.

Movil Exito, a subsidiary of Grupo Exito, has run without its own radio access network since launching in 2013. The MVNO sells mobile services to retail customers of the parent company's supermarket chain and has used Tigo's network for the past 12 years.

What does the CRC data show for MVNOs?

The MVNO segment is showing measurable recovery. CRC figures show MVNOs collectively reduced their net negative balance from number portability to around 40,000 lines in the first quarter of 2026, a 57.5% improvement on the same quarter in 2025.

Movil Exito posted a net gain of 1,638 lines through portability in the quarter. ETB added 3,316, Plintron 2,073 and Suma Movil 1,431. The narrowing of net losses suggests MVNOs are regaining ground after several quarters of subscriber erosion.

What is the commercial logic on each side?

For Claro, the contract creates a new wholesale revenue stream without requiring fresh capital expenditure. Movil Exito brings a customer base above two million and a brand tied to one of Colombia's largest retail operators. Selling access to under-used capacity on a network that already covers every Colombian municipality is a straightforward way to monetize existing infrastructure.

For Movil Exito, a second host offers a route to widen coverage, sharpen pricing and reduce single-host dependency. Dual hosting also gives the MVNO more flexibility to negotiate with Tigo on existing terms, now that an alternative is in place.

What happens next?

The agreement lands at an early stage of Millicom's integration of Tigo and Movistar. Existing MVNO hosting contracts on those networks may come up for renegotiation as the combined entity forms a single wholesale counterparty, potentially reshaping commercial conditions for resellers.

Claro's decision to host its first MVNO signals a possible shift in Colombia's wholesale market structure. Watch for similar deals as other MVNOs assess their options under a more consolidated network landscape, and as the CRC continues to publish quarterly portability data that tracks the segment's recovery.