Tigo

In 1992, Paraguay's telecommunications landscape was set for a major shift. A company named Telecel, co-founded by Angel Auad, launched as the country's first mobile phone operator. Operating initially with an analog network in the greater Asunción area, it held a monopoly until 1998. A key innovation during this early period was a billing system where only the person making the call was charged, a first for the continent. The turning point came in 2004 when its parent company, the Luxembourg-based telecommunications group Millicom International Cellular, decided to rebrand Telecel to Tigo. This wasn't just a name change; it marked a strategic pivot. The new Tigo brand was rolled out alongside the launch of a digital GSM network, paving the way for services beyond voice calls, like SMS and prepaid cards. This new identity as Tigo set the stage for significant expansion. The company broadened its services to include internet, cable television, and mobile financial services through Tigo Money. Millicom, which is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol TIGO, fully owns the Paraguayan operation, Telefónica Celular del Paraguay S.A.E. This backing enabled sustained investment in infrastructure, leading to the development of the country's largest 4G network and an extensive fiber optic system. Today, Tigo stands as a dominant force in Paraguay's digital ecosystem. From its beginnings as a simple mobile service, the company has evolved into a comprehensive provider of converged digital services, fundamentally shaping how Paraguayans connect and interact with the digital world.