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.
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 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.
Ebal Diaz, Secretary of State, told Laprensa.hn that "...
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.
The mergers and acquisitions being reported in Central America are largely because not all companies in the region are willing to make the heavy investments that the transition to 5G technology will require.
The most recent register of the sale of assets of one of the Central American competitors is the case of Telefónica, which on January 24 reported that for $648 million it sold to América Móvil all the shares of Telefónica Guatemala and 99.3% of Telefónica El Salvador.
The company reported that it signed an agreement with Millicom S.A. for the sale of all shares of Telefonica Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama, closing the transaction at $1.65 billion.
After the company reported in late January 2019 that for $648 million it had agreed to sell to America Móvil all the shares of Telefonica Guatemala and 99.3% of Telefonica El Salvador, it now announced that it had completed the sale process of the entire operation in Central America.
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.
Regarding the announcement of the purchase of Telefónica El Salvador, the Superintendence of Competition (SC) of that country informed that until January 25, 2019, it had not received any request for authorization from América Móvil for the purchase of Telefónica de El Salvador.
The Spanish company Telefónica S.A. informed that it is in a negotiation process to sell its assets in the region.
The European company, with subsidiaries in El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama, explained that the sale of its assets in the region "could result in a transaction, both for the total and for some of those assets."
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"]
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"]
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