CELLULAR CONCESSIONS

American Mobile is on two concessions in Panama

José Meléndez

El Universal

Wednesday October 31, 2007

Source: http://estadis.eluniversal.com.mx/finanzas/60919.html

The company America Mobile, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, will face beginning today to firms from Jamaica, France, Luxembourg and Panama to fight for two concessions from the Panamanian cellular market by 20 years from 2008, with a price of about 70 million. The system of Panamanian cellular until now controlled by firms Cable & Wireless, Britain, and Telefonica of Spain suffer an extension with the invitation to tender the two concessions. Companies aspiring to be presented today before the Public Service Authority of Panama (ASEP) to obtain all documentation.

Horacio Hoquee, deputy director of fixed networks of ASEP, said recently that America THE UNIVERSAL Field "has always been at the table and we know that he is interested in coming." The competition will run companies with Digicel, Jamaica, Orange of France and Millicom of Luxembourg, as well as Cable Onda and Telecarrier, both of Panama.

For his part, Manuel Troitiño, director of Telecommunications ASEP, explained that the submission of bids and the announcement of the winners will be announced between 5 and 7 March next year. The contracts will be signed on March 17 next and the service should be available to Panamanians beginning in October 2008.

The process will become the second opening the market for cellular telephony in Panama since 1996, when Bellsouth Corporation in the United States, and Cable & Wireless paid 72 million dollars each for a foray to cellular telephony. The rights of Bellsouth, which is in the process of disappearance to merge with AT & T, USA were then obtained by Telefonica Moviles Panama, a subsidiary of Telefonica of Spain and operates the Nissan brand. The two new concessions imply an expansion of technical service, as it will operate with different frequency ranges that Telefonica and Cable & Wireless, which has about a million users, according to sources Panamanian. Any of the companies that win will have to pay a minimum of 36 million dollars each (Google translation)