Verizon to Invest in Number Portability Upgrades

Mobile carrier Verizon Dominicana will invest US$20 million in network upgrades for the eventual application of number portability, local news site Listín Diario reported Verizon's communications director Eduardo Valcárcel as saying.

Number portability is one of the points outlined in Central America's free trade agreement with the US (Cafta), the report added.

Valcárcel said that number portability is scheduled for implementation in 2009 and will be monitored by the country's telecom regulator Indotel.

Earlier this year, Verizon announced a 151mn-peso (US$4.57mn) investment toward upgrading its fiber networks for faster voice, data and video services, as well as to upping capacity.

Mexican telco América Móvil is scheduled to acquire Verizon Dominicana in a deal approved by Indotel in June of this year.

The sale is part of a US$3.7bn deal in which AMX is buying Verizon's stakes in Verizon Dominicana, Cantv in Venezuela and Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico.

BNAmericas.com"

Posted to the site on 29th September 2006