Comcel board approves Telmex Colombia stake purchase

The board of Colombia’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, Comunicacion Celular (Comcel), has approved the acquisition of a 93.26% stake in local fixed line and broadband operator Telmex Colombia, after the latter was acquired by Comcel’s parent company, Latin American telecoms giant America Movil. According to ElColombiano.com, Comcel will take control of the fixed line unit, with an unnamed company spokesperson claiming that the corporate restructuring reflected ‘the global trend of convergence in telecommunications’ and sought to ‘maintain and enhance the competitiveness of the company, with the clear aim of providing more and better services and benefits to its users.’ It is understood that the two companies will, however, continue to operate independently in the short term under their existing brand names, ‘Each with his current team and product portfolio to offer users a complete package of benefits and services tailored to their needs’: it is widely expected that in the future the two companies will integrate with a view to offering simplified, bundled services.