Argentinean media conglomerate Grupo Uno is among five companies that are bidding for spectrum in the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, La Nacion reported according to BNamericas.
The move is controversial as the terms of the tender say that bidders must abide…
Argentinean media conglomerate Grupo Uno is among five companies that are bidding for spectrum in the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, La Nacion reported according to BNamericas.
The move is controversial as the terms of the tender say that bidders must abide by Argentina’s broadcast laws. BNAmericas notes that this law bans media groups from owning public TV channels if they also own a cable TV operator, but that Grupo Uno is active in both areas. It also blocks them from holding more than 10 broadcast licences, but, as the publication points out, Grupo Uno has licences above the threshold.
The operators that will bid for the spectrum are Claro, Personal, Nextel, Multitrunk and Superfone.
Superfone is the ISP of Grupo Uno’s Supercanal subsidiary, which offers fixed-line, cable TV and broadband services.
Grupo Uno was founded by Daniel Vila and former politician Jose Luis Manzano and is the second-largest media conglomerate in Argentina behind Grupo Clarin. Manzano was a politician for the Justicialist Party, the same party as president Cristina Kirchner.
