SAN JOSE, Calif.-Top executives from several multichannel multipoint distribution services operators throughout Latin America helped kick off the Wireless Communications Association International’s 7th Annual Technical Symposium last Wednesday by announcing the creation of Latin American Networking, an alliance formed to advance MMDS networks and services in that part of the world.
The alliance’s founding members include Acom, Sunrise, TVA and TV Filme in Brazil; Multivision in Bolivia; Ondavision in Chile; MVS Multivision, Telinor and Ultravision in Mexico; and Cablevision in Venezuela.
These companies represent more than 40.9 million, or 36 percent, of Latin American households, the WCA said.
Alejandro Mayagoitia, president of Telinor, said one of LaNet’s goals will be to establish a unified standard for the continent.
“I am glad to see the WCA taking a more active role as international decisions on MMDS are made,” Mayagoitia said. “The MMDS spectrum must be put together, not divided.”
LaNet policies, applicable to all participating countries, will allow members to:
Establish commercial strategies with technology manufacturers.
Participate with their respective governments to establish adequate regulations for telecommunications services.
Suggest changes to increase the penetration of telecommunications services.
Develop with programming providers the necessary changes to improve pay TV services to benefit subscribers.
Mayagoitia revealed that Telinor already has met with U.S. MMDS license holders WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp., but he did not give further details.
LaNet’s founding members formulated LaNet prior to and during exclusive meetings in New Orleans following WCA 2000 last July.
