Antel hits out at Ursec plans

Regulatory changes proposed by Uruguay's telecom regulator Ursec are prejudicial to state-run telecom outfit Antel, local press reported company director Oscar González as saying. In particular, González highlighted Ursec's plan to change the country's department codes and revise the interconnection regulations, and claimed the regulator had acted behind Antel's back. "We became aware [of some of Ursec's projects] indirectly and also now through the press," González was reported as having said on local radio. The Antel board member said changing the area codes would "create difficulties" for Antel and users. Furthermore, Ursec's plans to change the interconnection regulations come just as Antel is in the midst of negotiating with newcomers, such as Spain's Telefónica (NYSE: TEM) and Mexico's América Móvil (NYSE: AMX). Ursec president Fernando Pérez Tabó denied that the institution had acted without Antel's knowledge and pointed out that changes to the interconnection regulations have been underway for over a year. "Obviously, the existence of competition in international long-distance requires approval of regulations by the executive branch," Pérez Tabó said.