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Argentinian operators acquire a handful of spectrum-holding companies for $138.2 million.
Nextel Argentina and Cablevision have acquired various companies that hold spectrum in the 900 MHz and 2.5 GHz bands for a total of US$138.2 million, parent company Grupo Clarin announced late last week.
The Argentine media group said its Nextel mobile operation and cableco Cablevision have together bought 100% of Fibercomm and Gridley Investments, which in their turn own Trixco, a holder of airwaves in the 900 MHz band. Nextel acquired 97% of the companies and Cablevision 3%, Clarin said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, Nextel has secured 2.5-GHz spectrum through the acquisition of WX Telecommunications and Greenmax Telecommunications, whose subsidiaries Skyonline, Netizen, Infortel and Callbi offer mobile services via those airwaves.
"With these acquisitions, Nextel aims to supplement its current spectrum capacity, a necessary step towards the preservations of its competitiveness in the field of mobile communications," Clarin said.
"This transition marks the beginning of a process of investment in technology and networks that will allow Nextel and Cablevision to bolster their current services and incorporate new value-added services, such as mobile data," it added.
Via Cablevision, Grupo Clarin completed the acquisition of the 51% of Nextel it did not already own from NII Holdings in January.
The firm is working on building up its capabilities in the telecoms space. In April the Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (ENACOM) approved the transfer of a fixed-line licence to Cablevision from its subsidiary Fibertel, giving the operator a potential route into the triple-play – and in future quad-play – market.
The acquisition of additional spectrum for Nextel is a step towards that future goal.
