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 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.
Between 2018 and 2020, it is estimated that the demand for data services in the fixed and mobile network grew 2.5 times, a rise that can be partly explained by the need to work at a distance and receive educational services online.
Because of the spread of covid-19 and the imposition of restrictions on mobility, businesses, workers and consumers have had to migrate to the digital environment at great speed.
About 9 million people in the region are looking to purchase IT solutions, and of this group of consumers, about 8% explore options to buy antivirus or security software.
CentralAmericaData's interactive information system monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the current commercial environment in which companies of all industries must operate.
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).
Telefonica announced that it had reached an agreement with Liberty Latin America for the sale of the entire capital stock of its operation in Costa Rica, a transaction totaling $500 million.
This is the second time that the sale of the capital stock of the telephone company's operation in Costa Rica has been reported.
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, a legislative project prohibiting cuts in water, electricity, cable TV, telephone and Internet services during the state of calamity, which was decreed by the outbreak of covid-19 in the country, was published.
After multiple struggles, Decree 15-2020 was published on May 21 in the Diario de Centroamérica, which was approved by the deputies and then vetoed by President Alejandro Giammattei.
Millicom announced that it exercised its right to terminate the Share Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of Telefonica's operating subsidiary in the Central American country.
Personal care items, vehicle accessories, food and beverages are some of the products most demanded by consumers, who have migrated to digital platforms to make their purchases.
In the current scenario of confinement due to the health crisis in the region, consumers have disappeared from physical stores and have migrated to digital platforms to buy their products.
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.
In the third debate, the National Assembly approved the bill that considers the suspension of charges for electricity, fixed and mobile telephony and Internet services for four months.
This benefit will be available to self-employed workers, micro and small businesses, which have been affected in their income, as well as owners of restaurants, bars, casinos, public and private transport, affected by the pandemic, reported the Assembly.
In contrast to the measures taken by some neighboring countries, the government reported that at the local level, charges for water, electricity, Internet and telephone services will not be suspended.
Authorities argued that at the moment it is not possible to postpone payments, as few basic services are provided by the government in the country.
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