The head of Mexico’s antitrust regulator has said the government’s plan to redistribute 2.5GHz spectrum could create an opening for a new player to challenge the dominance of Grupo Televisa and America Movil.
In a widely reported radio interview…
The head of Mexico’s antitrust regulator has said the government’s plan to redistribute 2.5GHz spectrum could create an opening for a new player to challenge the dominance of Grupo Televisa and America Movil.
In a widely reported radio interview Cofeco’s head, Eduardo Perez Motta, said he hoped the government’s decision to reclaim 2.5GHz spectrum did not lead to years of litigation.
He expressed concerns that a protracted legal battle would keep the band out of the hands of a new player that could challenge the current Televisa/Telmex duopoly and offer triple-play and broadband services.
Last week the Mexican government announced plans not to renew licences in the 2.5GHz band. The spectrum is suitable for deploying LTE and many other countries have auctioned the band for 4G services.
There are currently 68 licences in the band. Media conglomerate MVS Comunicaciones own 42 of these licences and have vowed to fight the government all the way to keep hold of them. MVS used to use the band for broadcast before it switched to broadcasting via satellite.
Earlier this week MVS said it planned to challenge the decision. It said the government had promised to renew its licences on the understanding that MVS would not contest Televisa’s acquisition of a 50% stake in Grupo Salinas-controlled operator Iusacell.
