Chile’s antitrust tribunal fines Telefonica with USD4.4m
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The ruling of Chile’s antitrust tribunal TDLC has gone in favor of Chilean IP telephony enabler RedVoiss’ and has fined telecom operator Telefonica with USD4.4 million. The company had filed a complaint against Telefonica Chile alleging that it has participated in unfair pricing.
As per the finding, clients are required by Telefonica to contract bundled services. The price for these packaged services is significantly lower if they were to be contracted on their own.
According to RedVoiss CEO Alberto Mordojovich, after two and a half years of hard work with the TDLC… this decision will allow for the sale of naked broadband and he also hoped that the decision will mean a lowering of internet access prices for many Chilean families and companies
10% drop in Telefonica Chile’s net profit
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 9.3% fall in the net profit from CLP48.0 billion in 2008 to CLP43.5 billion (USD82.9 million) in 2009 has been recorded by Telefonica Chile. 5% decrease in the revenue from CLP711 billion compared to 2008 has also been posted by the operator.
However, the company saw a 4% rise in the broadband revenues and 9% rise in broadband subscribers. Even revenues from pay-TV rose 11% to 285,067 and corporate communications services revenues rose 5%.
Chile to reinstate local fixed wireless licences
The Chilean government has said it will soon sign contracts awarding wireless in the local loop (WiLL) telephony licences to Telmex and Liberty Global’s VTR, following the failure of incumbent telco Telefonica Chile to halt the tender process in the courts. The Santiago administration actually awarded the two disputed concessions last December, but Telefonica Chile subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking to annul the tender. However, a Chilean court recently rejected the case, paving the way for the concessions to be reinstated. Telmex will be awarded a licence allowing it to offer WiLL services across the country, while VTR will be given a regional concession.
