Sales of computer makers in Latin America increased 13% this year with a total of 27 million units, but this increase is low in a region that faces huge technological challenges, said a Microsoft manager.

Hernán Rincón, president of Microsoft Latin America, mentioned that the installed base of computers is between 100 and 120 million units and broadband reaches only 20 percent, while in some countries of the region the percentage is smaller.

One in six American have a computer and about 35% of the population has Internet access, but "80 percent of it is done through an Internet cafe.

"We have a very big challenge in the region and the world. We have not yet reached as much as we would like," he said in a meeting with reporters in Miami.

Challenges persist when they lowered the cost of computers, which now can be purchased with less than $ 200.

"Of those 27 million PCs (which will be sold in 2010) about half are manufactured in the region, especially Brazil and Mexico. This makes them more accessible," he added.

Until five years ago there was a certain distancing of Latin Americans toward technology, but has been overcome with the use of cell phone.

Governments and the business sector, meanwhile, have understood that technology is an important tool to improve productivity and reduce costs.

In fact, that was his shield to face the onslaught of the international financial crisis which in turn resulted in significant growth for Microsoft in Latin America in 2009.

"All governments and most companies called us to improve productivity and save costs. This enabled us to continue growing in 2009 in the region where most companies do not because of the crisis," said the manager of Microsoft .

The software giant grew at a rate of "more than 20% annually over the past five years and if all goes well, this year will triple the size of Microsoft in the region in relation to that period."

During this period, Latin America is the area of Microsoft that has grown into the world, according to Rincon, who was optimistic about the future of technology in the region.
The largest markets which have are Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela, in that order.

The technology has allowed Chile to bring government closer to its citizens and bring transparency to its procurement processes to enable all providers know what is taking so that they can make their bids, explained the executive.

Brazil, meanwhile, is the pioneer in the payment of taxes via the Internet, "is the country that collected electronically in the world"; Puerto Rico using technology in the educational and the island has the highest ratio of the region in terms of relationship between student and computer, which is almost one to one.

Regarding Microsoft’s challenges in the region, said first corner to maintain their advanced technology, design strategies to reach more people and work hard with cybercafes, "which is not easy because they are at remote sites.

Piracy is another challenge, highlighted the executive, who said that 64 percent of software is pirated and there are countries like Paraguay and Venezuela, where more than 80 percent.

Rincon provide other information about Microsoft Latin America: is the number one market share in servers for greater penetration, has more email accounts in the U.S. and Hotmail that over a hundred million users, with the Messenger instant messaging program.

He also announced that the company will hold the Government Leaders Forum of the Americas, 29 and 30 April in Mexico and it has invited the presidents of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, and the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández .

Reference: El Universal, Mexico

In February last year this fell to 10.3% service

Sending short messages through mobile phones in 2009 grew only half of which increased a year earlier.

According to the Federal Telecommunications Commission (Cofetel), last year sent nearly 51 billion SMS in Mexico, higher than 27.9% with respect to message traffic that was exchanged in 2008.

However, although a positive rate, the growth rate dropped significantly in relation to the behavior recorded in 2008 versus 2007 when there was an increase of 59.5% of text messages.

This performance is explained by the economic crisis, which led to higher unemployment and lower consumer purchasing power, analysts considered by El Universal.

Since early last year, experts predicted that mobile users would reduce their consumption in the service, expectation that was fulfilled.

The figure for December, when the one presented a significant increase in the consumer phone service, shows less message exchange over other years.

In the last month of 2009 were sent almost 5 billion text messages through cell phones, and although this figure ranks as the largest in the history of sending messages in the Mexican market, the annual growth rate was the lowest for a month like this since he began to measure that traffic.

Cofetel statistics indicate that in December 2009 to send SMS grew 22.6% over December 2008 when growth was almost 40%.

These figures reveal that increasing the growth rate of December 2009, meant almost half of the previous year.

In general the behavior in sending messages every month throughout 2009 was weak. There were even five months of submission negative growth rates compared to previous month.

The largest fall was recorded in February when SMS traffic was negative in 10.3% compared to January.

In April, June, September and November also showed negative growth rates for the month immediately sent messages.

"The mobile traffic has been one of the features of the industry hardest hit in recent quarters as a slowdown has accumulated nearly 40 percentage points since early 2008" according to the Federal Communications Commission.

The number of minutes completed in the networks of mobile phone dealers 23.2% increase compared to fourth quarter of 2008, he said.

The number of users at the end of December was 83.5 million, an increase of 11% over the same period in 2008.

The growth of cellular telephony in the 12 months of 2009 was 19.5% per year, said the Federal Telecommunications Commission, Cofetel.

Reference: El Universal, Mexico

From the universe of people already registered it is possible that there will be a high number of false, analysts say

Sign me up for the National Register of Mobile Phone Users (Renaut) can be done even with false information.

Analysts warn that this first part of the record do not have a system of verification of information.

The National Population Register (Renap) still does not find the data and the Federal Telecommunications Commission (Cofetel) has not issued any safety guidelines.

"User registration (with the operators) is the ‘light’, the complicated stage of Renaut is the second phase, where physically the user would have to go prove his personality.

"Many people may have been discharged under any name or had a mistake in your shipment," said Sergio Legorreta, partner at the consulting firm Baker & McKenzie.

From the universe of people already registered it is possible that there will be a high number of false, especially by those who are stuck in their criminal activities and others who gave their incomplete data, the analyst pointed out.

As of April 11th, if not altered the term would come into operation the second phase of Renaut, which consists in verifying the information submitted by individuals and businesses.

The process will be conducted by Renap, which depends on the Interior Ministry.

However, this agency has indicated that technical problems have to do it, said Rafael Eslava, head of the Futurology unit and Regulation of the Cofetel.

Another risk is that the database of the Single Key Population Registration (CURP) is flawed and duplication, so that when comparing the data could cause several lines are suspended by inconsistencies.

This will affect people and businesses, said Ivonne Munoz Torres, a specialist in law on information technology and communications.

"We are a country that does not even have a record of all inhabitants fully documented, so that no Renaut against which to compare," said Ernesto Piedras, director of research firm Competitive Intelligence Unit

In addition, Munoz said, is the disadvantage that to date has not published Cofetel safety guidelines, which generates a high degree of uncertainty about the management of data.

Since the inception of registration problems have been identified as from the selection mechanism was located was not the most efficient and appropriate to reduce crime, said Ramiro Tovar, academic ITAM.

"Some operators submitted proposals such as using the geolocation system of the equipment in real time to facilitate the location of people when they are making calls, but lawmakers opted for the record," he said.

It is also likely that many of the lines that were previously to be prepaid and are not operational, referred Legorreta.

Reference: Reforma, Mexico

The event will bring together inter-American authorities on the subject was held in Mexico City between 8 and 11 March

Mexico will host starting on Monday of the V Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), which promotes the development of telecommunications and information technologies in the Americas.

The Organization of American States (OAS) said here in a statement that telecommunications authorities of the various American countries attending the meeting, to be held in Mexico City between 8 and 11 March.

The event’s agenda includes talks and lectures on topics like universal broadband, the role of information technology and communications (ICT) in economic development and the market outlook in this sector.

Attendees will also address innovation and growth of the Internet and information technologies and communications, and the role of telecommunications in disaster situations, and spectrum policy issues, among others.

The appointment of CITEL will be headed by OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, Mexican authorities and private sector representatives and specialized inter-American agencies.

CITEL was established in 1994 within the framework of the OAS as an intergovernmental advisory body to the highest level of telecommunications in the hemisphere.

CITEL promotes the permanent exchange of information, knowledge and best practice on technical, economic and regulatory issues.

Reference: El Universal, Mexico

The creditors do not accept the proposal of MVS / Echostar, if these holders mantain the opposition the sale of the company will be imposible.   

A group representing more than 50% of guaranteed senior notes second priority of Satellites Mexicanos (Satmex) agrees not to accept the proposal to purchase the group consisting of MVS-Echostar, the dealer informed the Mexican satellite system.

If these holders will be impossible to maintain opposition made the sale of the company, as confirmed Satmex.

As a matter of Jose Otero, president of Signals Consulting Telecomm, those same bondholders opposed the investment to build the Satmex 7, worsening the position of the company due to an aging fleet that has no short-term replacements.

It found that in 2007 attempted a sale process with a minimum price of $ 500 million, which did not materialize because no participant offered more than that amount, so it is expected that a similar financial proposal is acceptable to all holders of notes.

"You could say that the process seems doomed to fail," said the specialist.

"It will be very difficult for the holders of notes change their position. This will result in two things: failure of a takeover attempt by EchoStar Satmex / MVS and the formulation of an alternative plan by the same bondholders to try to boost the construction and commissioning in orbit replacement Satmex Solidaridad 2 and 5, said Otero.

Consider that do not are doomed to see how the value of the company slows over the months and with a maturity of 63% of its debt in 2011.

Satmex admitted that the bid by $ 374 million made by the consortium would not be sufficient to repurchase the senior secured notes in circulation registered securities whose principal amount is about 424.25 million dollars.

The company is negotiating with creditors to convince them, but if the deadline for the dealership to negotiate the purchase of senior notes, total cash is not enough to purchase, then neither the repurchase or sale of company shares be achieved.

This period ends in about two or three weeks, said the satellite dealership.

"The position of holders of notes complicates the transaction because we have to consider that EchoStar would have to be undertaken in coming years to launch two satellites to replace Solidaridad 2 and Satmex 5," Otero said.

The EchoStar’s purchase intention is conditional upon no later than March 16, 2010 the signing of a preliminary authorization to proceed with a manufacturer to build a replacement for Satmex 5 and no later than April 27, 2010 have to sign an agreement to manufacture the new satellite, said the president of Signals.

Carried out the transaction, EchoStar will pay about $ 300 million for a replacement Satmex 5, in addition to what is necessary for the construction and launch of Satmex 7, because it only has incurred an amount equal to the cost of design the manufacturer Loral.

Reference: El Universal, Mexico