BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-Chile, which became the first country in Latin America in 1998 to implement PCS, has just felt the tremor of three new events in its market that could impact growth and market positioning.Calling party pays (CPP) was introduced 23 February, BellSouth bought...
SAO PAULO, Brazil-A little more than one year after auctioning B-band cellular licenses and less than a year after the Telebras privatization, the Brazilian government already is dealing with agreements and acquisitions that will change the country's wireless market profile.The movement started early this...
AustraliaThe Australian Communications Authority said it will complete its PCS auction of 800 MHz and 1.8 MHz spectrum, with the final 800 MHz lot covering Central Australia to be brought to auction for the third time. No time frame has been given, though the...
MADRID, Spain-The consortium led by Telefonica InterContinental received notification it has prequalified to take part in the bidding for a second Global System for Mobile communication telephone license in Morocco, said Telefonica.The consortium includes Portugal Telecom Internacional and the Moroccan group Banque Marocaine du...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil-Motorola Inc. signed a $188 million contract with Brazil's Telefonica Celular to provide its StarTAC ST7760 and MultiTAC SC3160 Code Division Multiple Access dual-mode 800 MHz phones.Telefonica Celular provides A-band services in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo, Bahia...
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala-Telefonica Centroamerica, a member of Telefonica Group, said it acquired the 15-megahertz band B license for personal communications services in Guatemala for $33 million.The company recently acquired a Guatemalan telecommunications company, which already had all the necessary licenses (except one in cellular...
NEW YORK-Millicom International Cellular S.A. said it is underwriting a $10 million capital increase in Celcaribe S.A., its cellular operator in the northern region of Colombia, and purchasing an additional 2.5-percent stake in Telefonica Celular de Bolivia S.A., its cellular operator in Bolivia, from...
CARROLLTON, Texas-CellStar Corp. said it received contracts from Telefonica Del Peru S.A. and BCP Telecomunicacoes of Brazil to distribute prepaid cellular cards.In Brazil, CellStar will be the primary distributor in the northeastern region, covering six states. Prior to launching service in northeastern Brazil, CellStar...
NEW YORK-The Federal Communications Commission announced it has permitted the takeover of Puerto Rico's government-run "principal local exchange service provider by a well-financed and experienced company," GTE Holdings L.L.C.In its decision, the FCC granted a transfer to GTE Holdings from the Puerto Rico Telephone...
JapanTu-Ka Phone Kansai Inc., based in Osaka, Japan, said it selected Brite Voice Systems and Marubeni, a large Japanese trading company, to launch an intelligent network-based version of BriteDebit, Brite's prepaid service. Brite said it will help Tu-Ka Phone Kansai with all aspects of...
Companies already are feeling the pinch from Brazil's falling currency, which, at RCR press time, had lost about 20 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since Brazil's central bank first moved to devalue the real.BellSouth Corp. said it will record a foreign...
MADRID, Spain-Telefonica and Lucent Technologies Inc. announced they signed a memorandum of understanding that strengthens their relationship by recognizing Lucent as a preferred global supplier of telecommunications systems to Telefonica.Lucent said it will provide solutions in such areas as next-generation data networks and Global...
OXFORD, United Kingdom-Last July the European Commission identified 14 cases of excessive or discriminatory pricing of interconnect rates between fixed and mobile operators. In-depth investigations were launched, and half of those investigations have been closed or suspended following a flurry of rate-cutting and pressure...
NEW YORK-The recent privatization of Telecomunicaciones de Guatemala S.A., doing business as Telgua, was the largest such transaction in Central America to date and offers encouragement for similar plans contemplated in nearby Nicaragua and Honduras."Obviously, Telgua would be interested in reviewing these as opportunities...
SAO PAULO, Brazil-Despite its drive for a competitive and liberalized market, Brazilian regulatory agency Anatel finally succumbed to market pressures and postponed to Jan. 15, the tender of licenses to operate one long-distance and three fixed-line "mirror," or competitive, companies because of the financial...
PolandPoland may call tenders for three new mobile phone licenses for Global System for Mobile communications 900 MHz and 1800 MHz systems during the first half of next year. Reuters reported that the country's telecommunications minister Marek Zdrojewski said the tenders would be issued...
AirTouch Communications Inc. reportedly is close to awarding a new contract to Nortel Telecom Inc. to replace existing Motorola Inc. Code Division Multiple Access equipment in Los Angeles.Industry sources indicate the two still are negotiating terms of the contract. The sticking point is AirTouch...
OXFORD, United Kingdom-The "Year 2000" problem has become a priority item on the agenda of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), reflecting the reality that the global network is only as strong as its weakest link. In the telecommunications sector, tackling the Year 2000 problem,...
The Argentine government, in an attempt to proceed with the PCS auctions currently in judicial limbo, is considering selling two PCS licenses each for the northern and southern regions of the country, excluding the greater Buenos Aires area. This maneuvering would speed up the...
WASHINGTON-The old adage maintains it's all about location, that the success of an investment depends on locale. And Latin America has been the locale of choice for investors looking for incredible growth rates and high demand for service. With several countries in the region...
NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. and Japanese trading group Itochu have readjusted their ownership schemes in a consortium led by Spain's Telefonica, which successfully bid for Brazilian A-band cellular operator Tele Sudeste Celular Participacoes.DoCoMo, which initially had an 8.5-percent stake in the consortium, reduced...
L.M. EricssonArgentina. With Telecom Personal to expand its D-AMPS/AMPS network.Value: up to US$77 millionArgentina. With Telefonica Comunicaciones Personales to expand its D-AMPS IS-136/AMPS network.Value: US$45 millionBosnia. With PTT Bosnia and Herzegovina for 30,000 GSM mobile lines (and fixed equipment).Value: US$59 millionChile. With CTC-Startel for expanding its D-AMPS...
WASHINGTON-Almost 500 years after Columbus visited, Portugal and Spain are back on Latin American shores; this time, it isn't sugar cane or gold they are after, but rather the potentially lucrative telecom sector. Telefonica de Espana and Portugal Telecom were the most aggressive bidders...
The Australian Communications Authority has invited applications for an auction of previously unsold 800 MHz and 1.8 GHz PCS spectrum.Bids closed on 31 August for the partial privatization of Telekom Austria. The Austrian government is looking to sell a 25-percent stake in the company,...
