2008 Latin America - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Southern Cone
Publication Overview
The Southern Cone countries are Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, the most prosperous countries in Latin America. This annual report offers a wealth of information on the trends and developments in fixed-line telephony, mobile telephony, Internet, broadband, digital TV, and converging media including VoIP and IPTV developments. Subjects include:
·Key satistics and forecasts;
·Market and industry overviews;
·Government policies and regulatory issues;
·Historical information;
·Major players (fixed-line, mobile, broadband, and pay TV);
·Telecom infrastructure (national and international, fixed and wireless);
·Mobile voice and data markets;
·Internet market and VoIP;
·Broadband (DSL, cable, wireless);
·Convergence, pay TV, and developments in digital TV.
Researcher - Lucia Bibolini
Current publication date: March 2008 (7th Edition)
Next publication: February 2009
Executive Summary
BuddeComm’s Annual Publication on the Southern Cone countries, 2008 Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Latin America – the Southern Cone Countries, profiles the three southernmost nations in Latin America.
Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are Latin America’s most prosperous countries, and this is reflected in the development of telecommunications. These nations are the regional leaders in a number of key indicators, such as standard of living, quality of life, adult literacy, teledensity, and Internet uptake. Argentina and Uruguay have the highest mobile penetration in Latin America, bar a few Caribbean islands, and Chile is the region’s Internet and broadband leader. All three markets present good investment opportunities, particularly in the more advanced technologies such as 3G, convergence, IP-based communications, WiMAX, and digital TV.
This report presents a concise overview of sector liberalisation and privatisation in the Southern Cone sub-region, government initiatives, and regulations in the telecom industry, the development of product offerings for fixed-line, mobile, broadband, and pay-TV technologies, essential country and operator statistics in all telecom sectors, and the emergence of convergence and triple play.
Key highlights
·While Chile and Argentina have fully privatised and liberalised their telecoms markets, Uruguay’s local fixed-line sector remains a state-owned monopoly. Nevertheless, Uruguay enjoys the highest fixed-line teledensity in Latin America, and its other telecom markets are fully open to competition.
·The fixed-line sector in the Southern Cone suffers from fixed-mobile substitution. Argentina, with 23% teledensity, is the only country where fixed lines in service are growing, but only by 3% annually. For the country overview, see chapter 1, page 1.
·Mobile telephony, on the other hand, has been soaring in the Southern Cone, especially in Uruguay, which had a late development in the mobile market. Competition between operators is keen in all three countries, and penetration has either reached or is close to reaching the 100% mark. For the country overview, see chapter 3, page 100.
·The broadband market has been booming, particularly in Chile, where penetration is the highest in Latin America. Argentina’s penetration is the second highest, and Uruguay is not far behind. Although all three markets are open to competition, lack of local loop unbundling has given the incumbent operators a dominant position, particularly in Uruguay, where there is no cable modem broadband.
·All three countries have developed WiMAX networks. Telmex Chile launched Latin America’s first mobile WiMAX e service in October 2007. And all three countries have witnessed the launch of 3G mobile services – Chile in December 2006, Argentina in May 2007, and Uruguay in July 2007.
·Convergence has had a different development in each one of the three countries. Chile is the regional leader, with VTR – Latin America’s first triple player – and several other companies all offering triple play packages. In Argentina, a telecom company must ally with a cable TV operator to offer converged services. And in Uruguay, cable TV companies are not allowed to offer either Internet or voice services, and have not been able to develop any convergence solutions.
·Telefónica Chile was the first company in Latin America to launch IPTV, in June 2007. Uruguay’s Antel hopes to launch IPTV services, but in Argentina, regulations prevent telcos from providing pay TV services.
Mobile penetration and annual change in Southern Cone countries – September 2007
Country
Penetration
Annual change
Argentina
98.7%
+25%
Chile
80.4%
+13%
Uruguay
88.3%
+62%
(Source: BuddeComm)
For those needing high-level strategic information and objective analysis on this region, this report is essential reading and gives further information on:
·Regulatory developments and spectrum auctions;
·Fixed-line developments, including the adoption of alternative technologies such as VoIP;
·Mobile telephony growth, launch of 3G, and the up-take of mobile data services;
·Broadband growth and the incursion into wireless technologies such as WiMAX;
·Convergence, triple play, High Definition TV, IPTV, and other new technologies;
·Scenario forecasts for the fixed line, mobile, and broadband markets and of Argentina and Chile.
Table of Contents
1. Argentina
1.1 Key statistics
1.2 Telecommunications market
1.2.1 Overview of Argentina’s telecom market
1.3 Regulatory environment
1.3.1 Background
1.3.2 Regulatory authorities
1.3.3 Privatisation of Entel
1.3.4 Telecom sector liberalisation in Argentina
1.3.5 Universal Service Fund
1.3.6 Multicarrier system
1.3.7 Rate freezes
1.4 Telecom network operators in Argentina
1.4.1 Overview of operators
1.4.2 Telefónica de Argentina (TASA)
1.4.3 Telecom Argentina
1.4.4 Telmex Argentina
1.4.5 Comsat Argentina
1.4.6 IPLAN
1.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
1.5.1 National telecom networks
1.5.2 International infrastructure
1.5.3 Infrastructure developments
1.6 Internet market
1.6.1 Overview
1.7 Broadband market
1.7.1 Overview
1.7.2 Cable modems
1.7.3 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
1.7.4 Wireless broadband
1.7.5 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
1.8 Content and e-services
1.8.1 E-commerce
1.8.2 Online banking
1.9 Convergence
1.9.1 Overview of media convergence
1.9.2 Triple play models
1.9.3 Regulatory issues
1.9.4 Digital TV
1.10 Mobile communications
1.10.1 Overview of Argentina’s mobile market
1.10.2 Regulatory issues
1.10.3 Mobile technologies
1.10.4 Major mobile operators
1.10.5 Mobile voice services
1.10.6 Mobile data services
1.10.7 Mobile content and applications
1.11 Forecasts
1.11.1 Forecasts – fixed-line market to 2017
1.11.2 Forecasts – Internet services to 2017
1.11.3 Forecasts – mobile market to 2017
2. Chile
2.1 Key statistics
2.2 Telecommunications market
2.2.1 Overview of Chile’s telecom market
2.3 Regulatory environment
2.3.1 Regulatory authorities
2.3.2 Privatisation
2.3.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Chile
2.3.4 Tariffs
2.3.5 Number portability
2.3.6 Access
2.3.7 Interconnect
2.3.8 New regulatory developments
2.4 Telecom network operators in Chile
2.4.1 Overview of operators
2.4.2 Telefónica Chile
2.4.3 Entel Chile
2.4.4 VTR Globalcom
2.4.5 Telefónica del Sur (Telsur)
2.4.6 Telmex Chile
2.4.7 GTD Manquehue
2.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
2.5.1 National telecom networks
2.5.2 International infrastructure
2.5.3 Infrastructure developments
2.6 Internet market
2.6.1 Overview
2.7 Broadband market
2.7.1 Overview
2.7.2 Broadband operators
2.7.3 Cable modems
2.7.4 Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
2.7.5 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
2.7.6 Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) networks
2.7.7 Wireless broadband
2.8 Content and e-services
2.8.1 E-commerce
2.8.2 E-banking
2.8.3 E-government
2.9 Convergence
2.9.1 Overview of media convergence
2.9.2 Triple play models
2.9.3 Digital TV
2.10 Mobile communications
2.10.1 Overview of Chile’s mobile market
2.10.2 Regulatory issues
2.10.3 Mobile technologies
2.10.4 Mobile operators
2.10.5 Mobile voice services
2.10.6 Mobile data services
2.10.7 Mobile content and applications
2.11 Forecasts
2.11.1 Forecasts – fixed-line market to 2017
2.11.2 Forecasts – Internet services to 2017
2.11.3 Forecasts – mobile market to 2017
3. Uruguay
3.1 Key statistics
3.2 Telecommunications market
3.2.1 Overview of Uruguay’s telecom market
3.3 Regulatory environment
3.3.1 Regulatory authority
3.3.2 Telecom sector liberalisation in Uruguay
3.3.3 Privatisation of Antel
3.4 Telecom network operators in Uruguay
3.4.1 Overview of operators
3.4.2 Antel
3.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
3.5.1 National telecom networks
3.5.2 International infrastructure
3.6 Internet market
3.6.1 Overview
3.7 Broadband market
3.7.1 Overview
3.7.2 Wireless broadband
3.8 Content and e-services
3.9 Convergence
3.9.1 Overview of media convergence
3.9.2 Digital TV
3.10 Mobile communications
3.10.1 Overview of Uruguay’s mobile market
3.10.2 Mobile technologies and mobile data services
3.10.3 Major mobile operators
3.10.4 Mobile voice services
4. Glossary of Abbreviations
Table 1 – Country statistics Argentina – 2008
Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – October 2007
Table 3 – Internet user statistics – September 2007
Table 4 – Broadband statistics – September 2007
Table 5 – Mobile statistics – October 2007
Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
Table 7 – TASA fixed lines in service and annual change – 2001 - 2007
Table 8 – Telecom Argentina fixed lines in service and annual change – 2000 - 2007
Table 9 – Fixed lines in service, annual change and teledensity – 1996 - 2007
Table 10 – Public phones and annual change – 1996 - 2007
Table 11 – Internet users, annual change and user penetration - 1999 - 2007
As you know, I have resigned from the Labor Ministry and have decided not to re-contest the seat of Charlton at the next election – both for personal reasons.
Before leaving Parliament, I particularly wish to record my thanks to you for your generous and constructive participation in the deliberations that generated significant economic policy reforms for the Australian community. Continuous economic transformation is a key challenge that faces all Governments.
The development of sound public policy should always be contestable. Ultimately, good and equitable outcomes are not concessions to any particular interest group, but the careful balancing of interests to create the greatest possible benefit for the nation. You have contributed to that, and I sincerely thank you for it.
Greg Combet, Former Minister for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation
