Brazil's Vivo Still Leads Mobile Market, Claro Catches TIM

SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Vivo Participacoes still leads the Brazilian mobile phone market with a 31.1% share of subscriptions in August but Claro caught up with TIM Participacoes to share second place, with each registering a 25.1% share, according to figures released by telecommunications regulator Anatel.

The number of mobile phones in circulation in Brazil totaled 138.4 million at the end of August, up 2.2% from July. Net additions in the month were 3.0 million.

Vivo is jointly owned by Spain's Telefonica and Portugal Telecom; TIM is the local unit of Telecom Italia; and Claro is the local unit of Mexico's America Movil.

-By Alastair Stewart, Dow Jones Newswires; 5511 2847-4520; alastair.stewart@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Posted to the site on 19th September 2008