Brazil Mobile-Phone Subscriptions Rise at Lower Pace in February

   By Rogerio Jelmayer 
 

SAO PAULO--Brazil's mobile-phone subscriptions grew at a lower pace in February compared with the month before, as the market leaders showed mixed signs in the period.

A total of 856,000 new subscribers signed up in February, down from 970,000 in the month before. Total mobile-phone users in Brazil rose to 282.56 million, up 0.3% from January, government agency Anatel said.

In the 12-month period ended in February, the number of subscriptions increased 3.61%.

Beneficiaries of the growth in mobile-phone subscriptions include Telefonica Brasil SA (VIVT4.BR, VIV), also known as Vivo, which is part of Spain's Telefonica SA (TEF, TEF.MC); and Claro, the local unit of Mexico's America Movil SAB de CV (AMX, AMX.MX).

On the other hand, TIM Participacoes S/A (TSU, TIMP3.BR, a unit of Telecom Italia SpA (TI, TIT.MI); and Brazilian telecommunication company Oi SA (OIBR, OIBR4.BR) lost ground.

Vivo posted a market share of 28.75% in February, up from 28.65% in January, while TIM was second with 26.84% in February, down from 26.9%.

Claro came in third with a 25.4% share, compared with 25.34% in the prior month. Oi remained in fourth place with a 17.84% share, down from 17.98% in January,

The sector's smaller players Nextel and Algar ended February with market shares of 0.6% and 0.44%, respectively, compared with 0.57% and 0.43% in January.

Write to Rogerio Jelmayer at [e-mail]

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