Latin America

America Movil plans to buy back share

On 03.11.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In a move to carry out Latin America’s largest acquisition, telecom operator, America Movil SAB has planned to pay a one-time dividend and buy back more of its stock, thus rewarding investors. The proposal for a payout of 32 centavos a share to shareholders by April 30 has been submitted by the board of the company.

50 billion pesos ($3.96 billion) would be added to the share buyback fund by the plan, which had 7.15 billion pesos remaining as of yesterday.

A debt has been issued by America Movil, to prepare for the cash and stock purchase of Slim’s Telmex Internacional SAB to add home-phone, Internet and TV service in Latin America. The two deals are valued at more than $20 billion. 14.9 billion pesos of bonds was sold by the largest wireless carrier in the region last week in the biggest corporate debt issue in Mexican history.

200 million Swiss francs ($186 million) of five-year bonds is also planned to be sold by the company while 50.4 billion pesos for dividends and buybacks in 2009 has also been paid by the company.

Telefonica reports better Q4 results (Spain)

On 03.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 1.2 percent rise in the Q4 revenue from a year earlier to EUR 14.98 billion has been reported by Telefonica. The OIBDA of the telco improved 1.4 percent to EUR 5.98 billion. The lower tax bill helped the company to generate a net profit of EUR 2.44 billion, up 22.2 percent.

In the home market, revenues of the Spanish operator fell 1.6 percent to EUR 5.05 billion, while OIBDA improved 3.6 percent to EUR 2.52 billion. In Latin America, revenues increased 8.0 percent year-on-year to EUR 6.33 billion and OIBDA in the region grew 4.7 percent to EUR 2.5 billion.

The revenue decline in Europe slowed down to 3.9 percent, to EUR 3.48 billion and OIBDA declined 6.8 percent to EUR 1.03 billion.

Tagged with: Europe • Latin America • Net Profit • OIBDA • operator • Spain • Telefonica

MTN, Bharti & Zain emerge as highest revenue generators

On 03.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Over the last three years, an average growth of 45% in the revenue has been recorded by 16 leading service providers. The wireless service providers in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, India and China achieved the highest growth.

MTN, Bharti and Zain have doubled their revenues in the last three years, thus leading the growth charge. Even larger companies like America Movil, China Mobile and Vodafone have recorded growth in the 45%-70% range.

Collectively generating over 55% of their revenues from beyond their home markets, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have all taken great strides in the past to build businesses beyond their home countries.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • China Mobile • Deutsche Telekom • France Telecom • India • Latin America • Middle East • MTN • Telefonica • Vodafone • Zain

Mobile Money not a buzz in Europe

On 02.20.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The idea of transferring the money via mobile phone has got a tremendous response in emerging markets like Africa, India and Latin America but the move is likely to be a slow and tortuous affair in Europe.

In Europe mobile payments have not moved beyond the trial stage and it is believed by many industry executives that consumers will only make mobile payments in certain niche situations in the short term, potentially denying operators a way to increase customer loyalty and gain additional revenues.

According to Mark Pickens, an analyst at the microfinance centre CGAP based at the World Bank, Mobile money is going to be a longer slog that takes more brain power and maybe more commitment than a lot of the operators are used to putting into value-added services. It has been predicted by the telecom trade body GSMA that operators could make USD 5 billion from financial services by “banking” 364 million unbanked people by 2012.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • Europe • GSM • GSMA • India • Latin America • operator • World Bank

Telefonica & ZTE to supply Movistar handsets in Latin America

On 02.18.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A full range of Movistar branded handsets will be launched by Telefónica and ZTE in 12 Latin American countries during 2010, starting in Q2. An agreement has been signed between the two companies for the development of a complete range of mobile devices. The price details have not been disclosed yet.

The handsets have been designed by both the companies and it marks the first strategic cooperation in the handsets space between the two companies.

According to Luis Miguel Gilpérez, Director of Mobile Business, Telefónica Internacional, consumers in Latin America are becoming increasingly demanding and have specific requirements in terms of handset design and desired features and by customizing a complete range of handsets, ZTE will enable Telefónica to meet the requirements of its Latin American customers and further build the Movistar brand.

Tagged with: Latin America • Launch • Movistar • Telefonica • ZTE

Telefonica tests LTE calls with Alcatel-Lucent in Latin America

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The first call has been successfully made by Alcatel-Lucent in LTE lab tests, Telefonica is conducting in Latin America. The maturity and benefits of the LTE mobile broadband technology is being analyzed by Telefonica with these tests.

The first tests using Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE platform, including base stations, transmission equipment, Evolved Packet Core (EPC), as well as professional design and integration services in combination with devices from LG Electronics were delivered in Telefonica’s labs.

700 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequencies will be used in the second phase of the field tests to assess LTE’s performance in terms of coverage and capacity, supporting the delivery of new mobile multimedia applications, such as high-definition video streaming, mobile gaming, high-speed file transfers and video conferencing.

Tagged with: Alcatel-Lucent • Base Station • Evolved Packet Core • Latin America • LG Electronics • Mobile Gaming • Telefonica

Millicom subscriber base rises by 22% in Q4 2009

On 02.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 22% rise in the subscribers base going to 33.9 million has been reported by Millicom International – a holding company that owns networks in Africa and Latin America. 10% rise in the revenues and 13% in EBITDA has also been announced.

Due to the disposal of its networks in Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone, the one-off gains has been US$309 million taking the net income to US$454.2 million. Capex for the year was $737 million or 22% of revenue while the growth in value-added services continued to be encouraging, and now represents over 21% of recurring revenue.

According to Mikael Grahne, CEO of Millicom, Millicom has had a good fourth quarter, and its consistent performance throughout 2009 demonstrates the strength of the business model and the ability to react quickly to changing market conditions.

Tagged with: Africa • CAPEX • EBITDA • Latin America • Sierra Leone • Sri Lanka

NII contracts Nokia to manage network in five countries

On 02.11.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nokia Siemens Networks has been contracted by Latin American mobile operator NII Holdings to manage its network operations across its regional footprint. 1,000 NII Holdings employees will transfer to Nokia Siemens Networks under the terms of the deal.

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru are covered in the contract where NII operating under the Nextel brand, will hold its operations.

According to Alan Strauss, chief technology officer at NII Holdings, the focus of the company to deliver differentiated wireless service is strengthened by this partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks, as it allows NII to increase the operational flexibility, improve the cost efficiencies, and improve the service quality.

Tagged with: Brazil • Chile • Latin America • Mexico • NEXTEL • NII Holdings • Nokia • Nokia Siemens • operator • Peru

Sony Ericsson’s global sales to be lead by Kristian Tear

On 02.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Kristian Tear, head of Western Europe and head of global customer accounts has been promoted by Sony Ericsson as a head of global sales and marketing from April 1. As the head of global sales and marketing division, Tear succeeds Anders Runevad, who will return to Ericsson.

Tear joined Sony Ericsson in 2005 from Ericsson. In Ericsson he held a number of executive management positions in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Tear’s successor in his position of head of Western Europe region and head of global customer accounts will be announced by the company in due course.

Tagged with: Anders Runevad • ASIA • Ericsson • Kristian Tear • Latin America • Sony Ericsson • Western Europe