Govt Vows to Prioritize Hondutel As Third Mobile Operator

The Honduran government has decided to give state fixed line operator Hondutel priority for becoming the country's third mobile operator, local press quoted President Manuel Zelaya as saying.

In April telecoms regulator Conatel said it would rather prioritize an international license auction, aiming to do so before year-end, because Hondutel was taking too long to use the mobile license granted to it in 2005.

Hondutel has indeed begun working to install its mobile platform, the paper quoted Hondutel CEO Jacobo Regalado as saying, but the executive gave no indication as to when the service would be ready.

Conatel still doubts the company will be able to build its mobile network before the government passes a law authorizing privatization of the firm, Conatel board member Gustavo Lara told BNamericas. A separate international license auction is still an option, he added.

By the end of July this year there were 1.7 million mobile users in Honduras, of which 1.1 million are signed up with Millicom International Cellular unit Tigo, and almost 600,000 with América Móvil unit Aló.

Hondutel believes these operators will have two million clients by year-end and there will be another one million potential clients for a new operator.

BNAmericas.com"

Posted to the site on 28th August 2006