ICT: The week in 10 stories

CHILE

Chile's government made a big deal on Friday of announcing an 80% reduction in mobile termination rates, saying the move would be key for stimulating competition and local economic growth.

The constitutional court has agreed to hear cases from mobile operators Entel and Movistar that seek to nullify a ruling by the country's supreme court that ordered the companies to return excess spectrum that takes them over the permitted limit.

CARIBBEAN

Caribbean and Central American telco Digicel has appointed Jean-Yves Charlier as the company's new CEO.

PARAGUAY

Paraguay's ICT ministry Mitic has signed an agreement with the Brazil-Paraguay electric power joint venture Itaipu Binacional to boost connectivity in hospitals and acquire software that helps the country fight money laundering, corruption, tax evasion and drug trafficking.

PERU

Peru's transport and communications ministry (MTC) has allowed mobile operator Bitel to keep spectrum it awarded the company in the 2.5GHz band in December 2017, saying it was done legally.

MEXICO

Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting companies will have to present detailed schedules and programs on how they intend to stop monopolistic practices in order to ask authorities for exemptions or reductions in fines, after sector regulator IFT made several changes to the rules on competition.

REGIONAL

Huawei continues to gain ground on rivals Samsung and Apple in the global smartphone market, according to two reports just out.

BRAZIL

Brazilian telecoms operator Oi has wrapped up a key 4bn-real (US$1.06bn) capital increase following the conclusion of investors' subscription of new common shares issued by the company, the carrier said in a filing to the market.

VENEZUELA

Venezuela has been experiencing intermittent cuts to social media access on platforms such as Facebook, Periscope and YouTube as political turmoil increases in the South American country, according to a report by digital rights group Netblocks.

BAHAMAS

Bahamas is looking to transform itself into a technology hub by attracting ICT companies to complement its touristic and financial industries, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said in a recent speech.