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VelaTel Global Communications launches wireless broadband network in Peru

U.S.-based VelaTel Global Communications Inc. announced that VelaTel’s Go Movil wireless broadband access network went “live” today in eight Peruvian cities where it holds licenses. The network is being operated under the brand name Go Movil and provides 4G broadband Internet access reaching about...

Number portability starts today in Colombia

Colombian mobile users can switch operators and keep their existing numbers beginning today (July 29). The number portabilitywas possible by a law passed in 2009 and a resolution adopted in 2010. Number portability in Colombia may reach 50 million subscribers. The user only needs...

Nextel capex totaled $304M in second quarter

With presences in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, NII Holdings Inc. said it plans to continue to invest in the expansion of the coverage and capacity of its networks and develop and deploy third-generation networks. Consolidated second-quarter 2011 capital expenditures totaled US $304 million,...

Carlos Paredes Rodrígues to be new Peruvian minister of Transportation and Communications

Peruvian president-elect Ollanta Humala plans to name Carlos Paredes Rodriguez as new Minister of Transportation and Communications (MTC). Paredes Rodriguez has been an advocate for decentralization, which will boost investment in infrastructure (roads, ports and airports) nationwide in order to promote growth.Paredes Rodrígues is also...

Nextel Mexico announces US$ 375 M loan from the China Development Bank to fund 3G network build-out

Nextel Mexico has signed an agreement with China Development Bank (CDB) to receive a US$ 375 million loan in order to acquire 3G network infrastructure from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., a global provider of next-generation telecommunications network solutions. The announcement was made  July 27 by...

Telefónica Group's net profit drops 16.3% in first-half 2011, but Latin America grows 18.4%

In Spain, Telefónica reported a drop of 16.3% in first-half 2011 net profit to 3.162 billion euros. In the second-quarter, net profit dropped even more: 27%. According to company, it's due to rising operating costs and a writedown of the value of its stake...

Netflix to distribute Televisa programs

Online film-rental service Netflix and Mexican broadcaster Grupo Televisa have agreed to a partnership where Netflix will distribute Televisa soap operas and other programs. The TV broadcaster will provide about 3,000 hours of shows a year. In a statement, Televisa said this was an important first step plan...

Brazil registers 217.3M mobile access; almost 28 million 3G

The Brazilian mobile market counted 217.3 million cellphones by the first half of the year, according to Telecommunications Nacional Agency (Anatel), which just released numbers that show a teledensiy of 111.6%. In June alone, 2.3 million mobile access lines were enabled. Seventeen of 27 states had more than one mobile line per...

Vivo leads Brazilian mobile market; Claro, TIM tied for second place

Brazilian carrier Vivo, which was bought by Spanish operator Telefônica in July 2010, kept its leadership in mobile access during the first half of 2011. According to numbers just released by Anatel, the carrier has just over 64 million users, which  represents 29.47% of market share. TIM, from...

Telcordia to administrate number portability in Chile

Telcordia has been chosen to administer number portability in Chile.  Telcordia presented the best technical-economic setting a transaction value for each switch in exchange for 377 pesos (US$ 0.82). According to the government, that's less than half what it costs in Brazil and up to...

TAM to offer Wi-Fi connections in international flights

Brazilian airline TAM is preparing to offer Wi-Fi service to its customers, and allowing them to use their mobile devices to make phone calls during international flights. The initiative may be launched within about one year in both Airbus and Boeing aircrafts, and is an...

Latam lagging behind in developing mobile payment services, Gartner says

Worldwide mobile payment users will surpass 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2% increase from 2010, when mobile payment users reached 102.1 million, according to Gartner. Worldwide mobile payment volume is forecast to total US$ 86.1 billion, up 75.9% compared to 2010. However, despite these...

Ciena expects high growth from Latin America

Expecting a transformation in Latin America’s telecommunications networks, Ciena Corp. said it believes region will grow at higher rates than other markets. “Latam is one area of great growth for Ciena. We are moving into more markets and growing tremendously,” said Fabio Medina, sales VP...

Movistar, Comcel and Tigo submitted to participate in spectrum bid

Three Colombian carriers - Telefónica Móviles Colombia SA (Movistar), Comcel SA and Colombia Móvil (Tigo) - have submitted their relevant application forms formally to participate in the upcoming spectrum auction set for Aug. 10. The Colombian government plans to auction 30 megahertz of spectrum in the1850-1990 MHz band to be...

Bogota council rejects proposal to sell ETB

Colombia's Bogotá city council has rejected a proposal to sell its 86.6% shares on Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogota (ETB).  All 15 council members voted unanimously against the sale July 24. ETB is one of the largest telephone operators in Colombia, with about 2 million...

Ericsson Latin America’s sales up 17%

Ericsson has unveiled its financial results and, although the world's largest network equipment maker had reported a decline in sales in North America, Latin America’s sales increased 17% year-over-year and 23% sequentially, achieving US$ 781 million in the second quarter of 2011. The results were...

Investments at Telefónica Peru increased 13% as revenue declined

Telefónica Peru confirmed its plan to invest US$ 1.5 million in the country during its financial results. According to a statement, investments from Spanish Telefónica group increased 13% in first half this year compared to the same period a year ago. However, its revenue during...

Telmex’s net income and revenue fell in second quarter

Net income for the second quarter at Mexican fixed line incumbent Telefonos de Mexico SAB fell 11.8% from the year-ago period. Telmex’s revenue also dropped 2.9% from the year-ago period to 27.614 billions pesos (US$ 2.357 billions). From April to June 2011, earnings were 11.074...

América Móvil earnings increased 14.1% in second quarter

América Móvil’s net profit (earnings) of 24.1 billion pesos (US$ 2.1 billion) increased 14.1% in the second quarter of 2011, compared to the same period year earlier. Earnings were equivalent to 61 peso cents per share and US$ 1.04 per ADR. At the end...

RIM to start producing BlackBerry in Argentina

Research in Motion (RIM) Ltd. will start manufacturing BlackBerry smartphones in Argentina through a deal with Brightstar Corporation, which will invest US$ 23 million. The production begins on October in Tierra del Fuego, and may generate up to 300 jobs. According to RIM, it is...

Brazilian carrier Vivo launches PTT and faces Nextel

Brazilian carrier Vivo has launched its push-to-talk (PTT) service under the name "Vivo Direto." The service started on July 18 in Rio de Janeiro and one month before in Porto Alegre and Curitiba cities. Although similar to Nextel's offering, Vivo's PTT is based on...

NEC plans a US$ 50B revenue for 2018, Latam expected to drive US$ 5B

NEC Corp., Japan’s biggest telecommunications equipment maker, is very optimist about Latin America. Its operations in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Chile is addressing  important growth, and the region will play a crucial role to help NEC reach its goals. The company...

Movistar Ecuador invests US$ 20 million to launch HSPA+

Telefónica Movistar has invested US$ 20 million to launch HSPA+ technology and begin to offer 4G services in Guayaquil, the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador. The mobile network will be the most advanced in the country. With HSPA +, Movistar’s customers...

Intel Capital names David Thomas as executive director for Latin America

Intel Capital has announced that David Thomas will return to his position as director of strategic investments for Intel Latin America, after a hiatus of 18 months. During that time, Thomas served as director general of the mergers and acquisitions group at Intel Capital,...