Argentine state formalizes its participation in the mobile phone sector
The Argentine government signed the decree on Thursday formalising the decision for the state to begin to control a part of the mobile phone sector, a measure announced on Wednesday by Planning Minister Julio De Vido.
The decree was signed into the Official Gazette, a decision that was said to be in place until the government sets up “another public bidding.”
On Wednesday Minister De Vido announced in a televised press conference that state-run satellite and telecommunications company ARSAT is to take over a contract which will allow them to control 20% of the country’s 3G airwaves.
The decision was made after five telecommunication groups had bid to take on the role. Four of which were rejected by the government on the grounds that they did not meet the financial requirements, and the only company that did meet requirements was Claro, however they were also rejected because if chosen, “they would have created a virtual monopoly.”
The main bidders included MII Holdings’ Nextel Communications Argentina, Telecom Argentina – controlled indirectly by Telecom Italia, Claro and two other local groups- , Multitrunk (a company of the Roggio Group) and Superfone (from the Vila-Manzano Group).
The Cristina Fernandez administration appears to have big plans for Arsat, a company whose budgeted revenue this year totals just 430 million Argentine Pesos, some 92 million dollars.
The company is already committed to a number of ambitious and very expensive projects, including the launch of a satellite next year and the deployment of a 58,000 kilometre nationwide fibre-optic network.
De Vido demanded that wireless carriers invest more to improve service quality because consumers often complain about poor service and a total lack of coverage in many areas. Earlier this year, the government fined Telefonica's local subsidiary about 185 million Argentine pesos for a massive service outage in April.
Minister De Vido said Arsat will work with cooperatives and smaller companies in the capital of Buenos Aires and the provinces, “with profits benefiting all Argentines”.
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“Consumers often complain about poor service and a total lack of coverage in many areas.”
That’s right!
The coverage in the municipalities of Alto Rio Senguer, Tehuelches and Paso de Indios is less than optimal….
A man needs its Internet when walkabouting or panning after some nuggets…...
How else would he be able to keep in contact with the Great Spirit…?
Or the good offers at La Anónima...?
Chuckle chuckle….
Some good offers on at the moment.
Chuckle chuckle.
I can imagine how mediocre the service will be. Thanks, but no thanks.
You won't be spying on me and my conversations.
FUCK OFF!
I was talked into buying a pay as you go phone by Argentine friends because it was too expensive calling me on my UK server phone. (Fair enough) But it lasted maybe a month before I gave up with it. The problem was the top up system was always down. This, apparently, is typical.
We now have a system of them emailing me, I pick up the email on my phone and call them, which I don't mind at all.
I bet it will work so bad.
You want to send a text message? Message not send. Service temporarily unavailable.
You want to make a call? Nope, service under maintenance. Please try again later. *TUT TUT TUT*
Someone wants to call you? Nope.
You want to use 3G, 4G?. Nope, only 2G and you will be charged every second you are connected.
And at the end of the month you receive the invoice of the phone company. Ammount to pay? Over $300.
Lol, this is going to end up real bad.
seekingalpha.com/article/477871-argentina-on-the-brink-what-is-the-real-investment-risk
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