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"]
The Superintendence of Telecommunications prepares the procedure to start issuing sanctions of up to $25,800 from February 2020, to businesses that do not have a registry of mobile terminal equipment and SIM cards.
The regulations have been in force for years, as on October 9, 2013, Decree 8-2013, the Mobile Terminal Equipment Law, came into force, which mandates the creation of the Registry of Mobile Terminal Equipment and SIM Cards Dealers, both under the responsibility of the Superintendence of Telecommunications (SIT).
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"]
Although Samsung and Apple mobile phones represent more than half of the devices used in the region's markets, there is an upward trend in the preference for devices from the Chinese brand Huawei.
An analysis of the Trade Intelligence Area at CentralAmericaData provides interesting data on the use and preference of cell phone brands in the region.
In the first half of the year, countries in the region reported $574 million in mobile phone imports, and company purchases in Hong Kong increased 84%.
Figures from the information system on the Mobile Phone Market in Central America, complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In Guatemala, at the end of the first half of the year, customers with postpaid plans from telephony operators increased 12% compared to those reported at the end of 2017.
According to statistics from the Superintendence of Telecommunications (SIT), the increase in the number of postpaid plans registered during the first six months of the year is mainly because of the increase in customers reported by the operator Claro, since between December 2017 and June 2018 increased from 329 thousand to 490 thousand.
During the first quarter of the year, countries in the region recorded $259 million in cell phone imports, and 62% were bought by companies in Guatemala and Costa Rica.
Figures from the information system on the Mobile Phone Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Last year countries in the region imported $1.269 billion worth of mobile phones, which is equivalent to an increase of 10% over the previous year.
Information from the interactive system "Cell Phone Market in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, [GRAFICA caption= "Click to interact with graph"]
Unlike Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama, Guatemalan authorities did not sign the agreement that seeks to eliminate additional fees that are charged for roaming services.
The Superintendency of Telecommunications took part in the Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (Citel) which was held in Buenos Aires, but the Guatemalan institution has not yet given the reasons why it did not sign the agreement in favor of eliminating charges for roaming services.
Between January and June 2017, the region imported $590 million worth of mobile phones, 10% more than the imports in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Mobile Phone Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
At the close of 2016, Comunicaciones Celulares S.A. had 52% of mobile phone users in operation, followed by Telecomunicaciones de Guatemala S.A. with 26% and Telefónica Móviles Guatemala S.A. with 22%.
The statistics bulletin for the second half of 2016, prepared by the Superintendency of Telecommunications, provides information on telephony and telecommunications in Guatemala concerning the operators: Commercial Network -ORC-, Local Network -ORL- and International Port-OPI-.
Between January and September 2016 the countries in the region imported $791 million worth of cellular phones, 6% less than the imports in the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on themobile phone market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
The commercial potential of mobile devices continues to grow in emerging markets, where 93% of people check their phone in the first hour after waking up.
A global report by Deloitte highlights the growing business potential of mobile devices such as tablets and mobile phones, both in developed and emerging markets.
Five key elements highlighted in the report "Global mobile consumer trends: First Edition" .