Uruguay imported US$86mn worth of mobile phones in 2006, up 34.5% compared to the previous year, newspaper El País reported, citing local consulting firm Omonia.
Uruguay imported 1.4mn mobile telephones last year, up 57.3% from 892,000 in 2005, according to Omonia, which used statistics from the customs service.
Movistar Uruguay, the local mobile unit of Spanish telco Telefónica, led the ranking with 39% of imported devices in 2006, followed by América Móvil's unit CTI Móvil with 24.2%, while state-owned Antel imported 18.8% of mobile telephones for its mobile unit Ancel. Local distributors Elcorey and Punto Luz imported the remainder.
Uruguay's mobile telephony market has registered strong growth since the end of 2004 and by the end of 2011 penetration is expected to reach nearly 100%, consultancy Signals Telecom Consulting market research director Carlos Blanco recently told BNamericas."
Posted to the site on 7th March 2007
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/22441.php