Telemig, Claro, Oi to Deliver Services in Minas Gerais"

Brazilian mobile phone companies Telemig Celular, Claro and Oi have won three lots to deliver mobile phone services in 420 municipalities in Minas Gerais state that are currently without coverage, newspapers reported.

The region's four operators TIM, Claro, part of Mexico's América Móvil, Oi and the state's largest mobile phone company Telemig competed for the lots.

The Minas Gerais state government will finance the work with a 180mn-real (US$87mn) fund it created for the universalization of mobile phone services.

Claro will require 54mn reais to operate in 154 towns and villages in the central-west and eastern parts of the state, the company said in a statement.

Oi also bid 54mn reais to supply services to 151 municipalities in the central-west and eastern region of the state, while Telemig Celular offered 55.5mn reais to deliver services in 134 areas in the region's southern, northern and Triângulo Mineiro areas.

Currently 52% of Minas Gerais state's municipalities have mobile phone coverage, which is below the national average of 59%, newspaper Valor Econômico reported."

Posted to the site on 26th March 2007