Puerto Rico has one of the highest mobile
penetration rates in Latin America, though despite being a US territory it lags
well behind the mainland US states in terms of fixed-line and broadband
penetration. This is partly due to a continuing economic recession, high
unemployment rates (and consequently low disposable income) and poor telecoms
investment in a market largely dominated by the incumbent Puerto Rico Telephone
Company.
The Puerto Rico Telephone Company's
fixed-line market dominance was augmented following its acquisition by the
largest wireless company in Latin America, Amrica Mvil. In contrast, with six
network operators, the mobile (cellular/wireless) market has been experiencing
more robust competition and growth. Although Amrica Mvil's Claro recently took
the lead from AT&T Mobility in terms of subscriber numbers, AT&T
regained the top position by late November following its acquisition of
Centennial Communications.
With an emerging VoIP sector and steadily
growing broadband market, as well as a healthy satellite TV sector which has
caused a decline in the cable TV subscriber base in recent years, the growth
and convergence of digital media looks promising for coming years.
A new submarine cable, due to come online in
2014, will improve connectivity to the US and neighbouring Latin American and
Caribbean countries, while investments by cellular operators in LTE
infrastructure will help promote mobile data services, as also extend mobile
broadband availability in rural areas.
Market
highlights:
- Puerto Rico’s economic plight has affected the telecoms sector, though it has managed to weather continuing difficulties, better most industries.
- Open Mobile launched an LTE offer in mid-2012, a crucial step for the country’s migration to 4G-based mobile broadband.
- The AT&T acquisition of Centennial allowed the former to supplant Claro as the mobile market leader, having lost that position to Claro in 2007.
- The failed bid by AT&T to acquire T-Mobile has preserved the competitive nature of the Puerto Rican mobile market, where AT&T would otherwise have secured a 50% share of mobile subscribers.
- Liberty Puerto Rico’s acquisition of OneLink Communications has merged two of the key cable TV and broadband players, with a combined footprint of some 700,000 addressable households.
- Cable TV subscriber numbers continue to decline, due in part to growing competition from satellite and to a deepening recession.
- The new PCCS submarine cable due in late 2014 will improve connectivity to the US and neighbouring Caribbean Central American countries.
- In mid-2013 DISH and Claro joined forces to offer quad-play bundled services.
- Liberty Global in early 2014 announced plans to create a new company to oversee its Puerto Rico and Chilean operations, and separate them from the Europe-based UPC division.
- The House of Representatives in March 2014 passed a bill which would replace the telecom regulator and combine the responsibilities for the telecom and energy sector within a newly formed commission.
For more information see: http://mrr.cm/ZSq
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