CANTO Weekly Newsletter – BNamericas: 03/21/14

Irish-owned mobile operator Digicel has priced its private placement of US$1.0bn of 7.125% senior notes due 2022.

Net proceeds will be used to repurchase any and all of Digicel’s 10.50% senior notes due 2018 in a concurrent tender offer, pay any related fees and expenses and redeem the 10.50% senior notes that remain outstanding after completing the tender offer, according to a company statement.

Digicel is planning to invest around US$500mn this year in expanding its networks in the Caribbean and Central America.

Jamaican telcos clash over alleged improper charges – Jamaica

Jamaican telco Digicel requested that utilities regulator OUR investigate competitor LIME, saying that LIME’s call handling resulted in unfair charges for Digicel customers, local outlets reported.

Digicel alleged that its customers were improperly charged for calls made to certain LIME numbers across 12 of the latter’s Caribbean markets.

In response, LIME reportedly called Digicel’s allegations “malicious and potentially libelous,” saying that Digicel had brought the issue to LIME’s attention earlier and that it was resolved in January.

LIME accused Digicel of violating a confidentiality agreement between the two parties, also saying that Digicel issued the charges to its customers, not LIME.

Digicel reportedly argued that “despite persistent efforts to work with LIME to rectify the situation and multiple assurances from LIME that the situation has been corrected, Digicel continues to find intermittent examples of the issue continuing in various LIME markets in the Caribbean.”

Roundup: Digicel, Anatel, Transmilenio – Colombia, Jamaica

Caribbean telco Digicel has launched vehicle management solution f6 in Jamaica, the Jamaica Observer reported.

The new service provides businesses with real-time data on driver behavior and vehicle operation, which enables companies to better manage their fleet of vehicles while improving operational efficiencies and cutting costs.

The f6 software can generate customizable reports and services, including dangerous driving detection, automated crash reporting and detailed crash analysis.

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Brazil’s telecoms regulator Anatel approved in its weekly board meeting the assignment of spectrum in the 4,910-4,990MHz band for public security and civil defense applications, the agency reported.

The use of the band by public safety and civil defense is justified by the evolution of the security equipment and use of cameras in drones, which will be used during Brazil’s World Cup in June.

The regulator also confirmed the same bands for fixed and mobile services.

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Transmilenio, the public transport transport system of Colombian capital Bogotá, has launched public Wi-Fi hotspots in 10 areas, La República reported.

Users will have up to 10Mbps of capacity in 15 different hotspots.

Mexico’s regulatory measures seen hitting América Móvil revenue – Mexico, Regional

América Móvil (NYSE: AMX) will lose nearly 19bn pesos (US$1.44bn) by 2015 due to new regulations in both Mexico and elsewhere in its most profitable markets in Latin America, according to Credit Suisse.

The investment bank estimates that América Móvil will report 7.3% less revenue for 2015 compared to 2013, CNN Expansión reported.

Telecoms watchdog IFT imposed a series of regulatory measures on the companies of billionaire Carlos Slim as a result of last year’s constitutional reforms in telecoms.

These measures include asymmetric interconnection rates, shared infrastructure and the required leasing of networks so that other companies can provide service to end users. The measures will take effect this year and in 2015.

Credit Suisse analysts also said that new regulations against América Móvil in Brazil, Chile and Colombia, where authorities will revise interconnection rates, along with other measures, may negatively impact the company.

Fitch Ratings, however, said it did not expect any negative impacts on the credit profiles of América Móvil or on TV broadcaster Televisa (NYSE: TV), which is also to be affected by the regulator’s measures.

Telefónica, Samsung sign partnership agreement – Regional

Spanish telecom Telefónica (NYSE: TEF) signed an agreement with Samsung Electronics to become an authorized reseller of mobile security platform Samsung KNOX.

Through the partnership with Samsung Electronics, Telefónica plans to add Samsung KNOX to its portfolio of security services, Telefonica said in a release.

Through encrypted data protected by password and fingerprint identification, Samsung KNOX enables users to maintain business and personal content environments on their devices.

Samsung KNOX, which saw the launch of KNOX 2.0 at Mobile World Congress in February 2014, is available through the Android platform on a range of devices.