Bitel is the fastest-growing telecommunications company in Peru

According to the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (OSIPTEL), by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2018, Bitel – a brand of Viettel Group obtained 5.1 million subscribers, equivalent to a market share of 13.5%. For three consecutive years (2015 - 2017), Bitel is the company with the fastest rate in growth of subscribers in Peru.

This is also the reason why the subscriber growth rate in Peru nationwide has been up to 30% in the period 2014 - 2018, while this figure in the countries in the region is only 6%.

Officially providing its services on October 15, 2014, Bitel is Viettel Group’s first international brand trading in a country whose economic development level is higher than that of Vietnam. However, only a short time afterwards, Bitel has built its mobile infrastructure far ahead of competitors who have been entering the market for decades before and become the operator with largest fiber-optic network (26,000 km), 1.5 times higher than that of its second competitor. 

In addition, Bitel also has become the operator with largest data coverage (Bitel skipped 2G, went ahead to 3G, 4G network and now considered as the best Internet service provider in Peru). In just 9 months, Bitel’s 4G network has the largest coverage in Peru with 3,200 stations (4 times larger than that of its second competitor).

Along with foregoing, mobile penetration density over population in Peru at the time of Bitel’s initial operation nearly got halted (94%) and now, this density has reached 124% (this index of neighboring countries only increased by 5%).

After operating two years, Bitel has made profits, while the third operator engaging in Peru market for 10 years has made no profits (foreign-invested telecom companies are usually profitable after about 4 to 5 years). Currently, Bitel brand in Peru has become the international market with highest revenues ($30 million on average per month) among 10 countries where Viettel Group is available. During the period 2015 - 2018, Bitel's revenues grew almost exponentially - nearly doubling the previous year.

At present, Bitel has 1,700 permanent employees (of which 1,590 are Peruvians, accounting for 94%) and provides indirect employment for more than other 10,000 Peruvians.

In March 2017, through the biggest flood in the history in the last 20 years of Peru, Bitel was the only operator to keep the service smooth and this was thoroughly reported by the mass media. In Peru, Bitel is also the only operator to provide free internet to 4,500 schools with nearly 1 million students; and provide free services to 112 health facilities and 166 government agencies with a total value of $55.4 million.

Bitel is managed and run directly by Viettel Global – a unit under Viettel Group however its operating results have not been consolidated with Viettel Global. According to the regulations of the Peruvian government, Bitel must be invested by and under the name of Viettel Group and this can only be changed after five years of operation.

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