BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-Complying with an agreement signed between the two major political parties, the Uruguayan Congress approved the sale of up to 40 percent of Ancel, the state cellular telephony operator.
It is the first step toward the entrance of new companies to a market that has 10 users for every 100 inhabitants. Until now the only companies operating in the country are Movicom BellSouth and Ancel.
The partial privatization of the state operator will take place during the second trimester of 2001 and, once this is completed, a new license will be auctioned to allow three cellular operators to compete by the next year. AT&T, Telef
