The company Telefonica went from monopolizing 22.3% of the total mobile telephone subscriptions in the country in 2015, to concentrating 29.9% at the end of last year.
According to a report prepared by the Superintendence of Telecommunications (Sutel), which was released on November 17th, in the last few years Telefonica has gained ground in the mobile telephone market, and in the cases of Claro and the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE), they have decreased their share.
As a result of the conditions imposed by the Superintendence of Competition to carry out the operation, América Movil and Telefónica decided to cancel the agreement to purchase 99.3% of Telefonica Moviles El Salvador.
According to the technical, legal and economic analysis carried out by the Superintendence of Competition SC, it was warned that the acquisition would produce limitations to competition in the markets of mobile and fixed telephony and business connectivity services.
After Millicom announced that it exercised its right to cancel the Share Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of Telefonica's operating subsidiary in Costa Rica, the Spanish firm will focus on strengthening its operations in the Central American country.
Eight months after the Telecommunications Superintendence authorized the economic concentration requested for Millicom to buy the shares of Telefónica de Costa Rica TC S.A., the parties announced on May 2nd that they had decided to rescind the agreement.
In Guatemala, the telephone company Tuenti reported that it will now be part of América Móvil, owner of the Claro brand, following the sale of Telefonica's shares in early 2019.
The Mayor's Office of Managua filed a lawsuit against Millicom, arguing that the company has a debt of almost $1 million on account of five years of arrears in the payment of the Real Estate tax.
The debt claimed by the City Hall corresponds to the alleged omission in the payment of the municipal tax corresponding to 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, a period in which the assets still belonged to Telefónica.
In El Salvador, the Superintendence of Competition reported that "it has declared inadmissible the request for economic concentration presented by América Móvil S.A.B. de C.V., on March 5 of this year."
"When a new application for authorization is submitted, the SC will continue this process on the basis of a technical, legal and economic analysis, under the principle of independence that the LC mandates and distinguishes its actions, with the sole objective of protecting and ensuring competition in the country," reported the Superintendence of Competition (SC).
The request for authorization of economic concentration was presented, "consisting of the acquisition by América Móvil of control of the majority of Telefónica's capital stock in El Salvador."
At the end of January of this year it was reported that América Móvil bought 99.3% of Telefónica El Salvador, a transaction that reached close to $311 million.
The company reported that it sold all the shares of Telefónica Guatemala and 99.3% of Telefónica El Salvador to América Móvil for $648 million.
The Spanish company stated that the closing of the sale of Telefónica Guatemala took place on January 24, however, the sale of Telefónica El Salvador is subject to the relevant regulatory conditions.
ICE, Claro and Movistar are promoting their products and payment plans to corporate clients.
With various promotions and discounts, the main operators in the Costa Rican telecommunications market have begun competing for corporate customers that may want to integrate all their services with one provider.
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