During the first six months of 2020, Central American countries imported cell phones for $541 million, 11% less than what was reported in the same period of 2019, a drop that is mainly explained by the behavior of Panamanian, Honduran and Salvadoran purchases.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in Guatemala exploring options for buying professional DJ equipment online grew by 40%, while the number of Salvadoran consumers looking to purchase Xbox consoles decreased by 16%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchasing patterns.
The I Shop, which is located in San Salvador's Multiplaza shopping center, has a potential market of 380,000 consumers 15 minutes away by car, and 39% of them are interested in tablets, and 14% in desktop computers.
Using the Geomarketing solutions we have developed for our clients, CentralAmericaData's Trade Intelligence team analyzed the environment of some of the main locations of establishments dedicated to the sale of consumer electronics equipment, such as cell phones, laptops, desktops and other items, operating in the countries of Central America. Below is an extract of the study's findings.
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.
One of the conditions for authorizing the acquisition is that America Movil must relinquish the right to operate 25 MHz of radio spectrum with national coverage in the 850 MHz band and 30 MHz of radio spectrum with national coverage in the 1900 MHz band, which currently belong to Telefonica.
According to the technical, legal and economic analysis carried out, it was warned that the acquisition would result in limitations to competition in the markets for mobile and fixed telephony and business connectivity services. Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Superintendence of Competition (CDSC) decided to impose a set of conditions to repair the damages, which include enforcement measures prior to the closing of the transaction (ex ante) and a series of subsequent obligations (ex post) in order to counteract such limitations, informed the Superintendence of Competition (SC).
When the Central American economies begin to relax the restrictions that have been adopted to prevent the spread of covid-19, sales of pay television service are forecast to fall by at least 2%.
Using a demand/income sensitivity model developed by CentralAmericaData's Commercial Intelligence Area, it is possible to project the variations that household demand for different goods and services will undergo as the most critical phases of the spread of covid-19 are overcome and the measures restricting mobility in the region's countries are lifted.
At the auction held in El Salvador for the 1.7 and 2.1 GHz bands, Tigo was awarded five blocks and Claro was awarded four more.
For the auction held on December 5, the 1.7 and 2.1 GHz bands of the radio spectrum were made available, which is structured in 12 blocks, however, only nine blocks were awarded.
Elmundo.sv reports that "... Siget did not inform how much the revenues from the awarding of these blocks amounted to and indicated that it does not yet have a date for the signing of contracts for the assignment of this segment of the spectrum."
In El Salvador, businessmen are preparing a proposal for the government to disconnect the 2G telephone network, so that services migrate to 4G and 5G technology.
The initiative, which is being prepared by the National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP), will be presented to the authorities during the National Meeting of Private Enterprise (Enade) 2019.
With the admission of a new procedure for the authorization of economic concentration, presented by América Movil and Telefonica de El Salvador, begins "the technical, economic and legal analysis that will determine whether or not the transaction will cause a significant limitation of competition."
Both companies submitted this third application for authorization on 19 September this year.
In El Salvador, the 1.7 and 2.1 GHz bands of the radio spectrum will be auctioned on December 5. The spectrum will be structured in 12 blocks of $6.25 million each.
Elmundo.sv reviews that "... The band 1.7 and 2.1 gigahertz (GHz), known as AWS, comprises the radio spectrum blocks 1710-1755 and 2110-2155, its allocation would allow the exploitation of more advanced mobile communications services, the consolidation of the deployment of fourth generation technology (4G) and higher speeds in the transmission of mobile data."
During the first three months of 2019, Central American countries imported cell phones for $329 million, 27% more than what was reported in the same period of 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
After rejecting the two previously filed applications, El Salvador's Superintendence of Competition confirmed that it had received a new request for América Móvil to complete the acquisition process of Telefónica.
The sanction was imposed following a complaint made "by TVC Network, S.A. de C.V., against Digicel, S.A. de C.V., for a possible abusive dominant position."
The complainant stated that this economic agent was creating barriers to the entry of competitors or the expansion of existing ones in the market for the termination of national and international calls, informed the authorities of the country.
The Superintendence of Competition of El Salvador once again declared "inadmissible the request for authorization of economic concentration presented by América Móvil, which would consist of the acquisition of the share capital necessary to control Telefónica's operations."