Research and Markets: Latin America - Mobile Operators

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9hcvz5/latin_america) has announced the addition of the "Latin America - Mobile Operators" report to their offering.

The report provides key information about the mobile operators in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Topics covered include:

- Brief company history and shareholder structure;

- Licences and technology deployments;

- Subscriber evolution;

- Average Revenue per User (ARPU);

- Market position.

Executive Summary

During the 1990s and around the turn of the millennium, a number of international companies ventured into Latin America's burgeoning mobile arena, including América Móvil, Bell Canada International, BellSouth International, Cable & Wireless, Digicel, France Telecom, Millicom International, Portugal Telecom, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM), Telefónica, and Verizon Communications.

Around 2003, however, the market began to undergo a process of consolidation. Several international investors gradually withdrawn from the region, leaving six major multinational operators that serve roughly 80% of the market: América Móvil, Telefónica, Telecom Italia, Millicom, and Digicel.

América Móvil is the leader, followed by Telefónica. In fact, América Móvil and Telefónica compete against each other in most of Latin America's major economies. Between them, they serve about 61% of the region's mobile subscribers (down from 64% in 2008).

América Móvil, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, operates in 16 LAC countries. In its home ground, Mexico, it uses the brand name Telcel. In all other countries, it provides mobile services under the unified name Claro.

Spain's Telefónica provides mobile services in 13 LAC countries, using the name Movistar in all markets except Brazil, where it operates under the brand name Vivo. For many years, Telefónica controlled Vivo jointly with Portugal Telecom (PT), but in July 2010, it agreed to buy PT's 50% share and became the sole owner of the Brazilian mobile unit.

Telecom Italia provides mobile services in Brazil through its subsidiary TIM Brasil. It also controls Telecom Argentina, which offers mobile services in Argentina through Telecom Personal and in Paraguay through Núcleo.

Luxembourg-based Millicom International Cellular provides mobile services under the brand name Tigo to three countries in South America (Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay) and three countries in Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras).

Countries Covered

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the small Caribbean island nations.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9hcvz5/latin_america