17/06/2026 22:36 - Economia
Ilustración conceptual de una balanza de justicia equilibrando elementos tecnológicos como antenas de telefonía móvil, cables de fibra óptica y smartphones, simbolizando la regulación en el mercado de las telecomunicaciones.
The Tribunal de Defensa de la Competencia (TDC) — Argentina's Competition Defense Tribunal, the decision-making body of the National Competition Authority — has resolved to impose a comprehensive set of conditions on the acquisition of Telefónica Móviles Argentina by Telecom, a company belonging to the influential Grupo Clarín media conglomerate. The decision is based on a technical report prepared by ENACOM (Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones), Argentina's national communications regulatory agency.
The primary objective is to prevent this transaction from creating a monopoly that would harm consumers and free competition in Argentina's telecommunications market.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Customer Divestiture | 6 million mobile customers must be transferred (approximately 50% of the customer portfolio), along with associated infrastructure distributed across AMBA (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area), Northern Region, and Southern Region, to a new market competitor. |
| Infrastructure Access | Guarantee the new operator access to infrastructure, spectrum, systems, and interconnection conditions for a period of 2 years, ensuring service continuity and quality while the competitor develops its own network. |
| Spectrum Return | Return a total of 130 MHz of radio spectrum, including 60 MHz immediately at national level, additional returns in high-concentration zones, and allocation to the secondary market for other companies. |
| Fixed Internet Restructuring | Obligation to divest customers to other competitors in localities where the resulting market share would exceed 50%. |
According to the TDC, these conditions will transform an acquisition that could have concentrated approximately 70% of telecommunications services in the hands of a single economic group into one controlling only approximately 50% of services.
The regulatory authority emphasized that "the operation will only be viable if these measures are implemented to prevent the consolidation of dominant positions and guarantee that available options for consumers, companies, and potential competitors are not reduced".
The radio spectrum refers to the range of electromagnetic frequencies used for wireless communications. It's the invisible infrastructure that enables mobile phones, television, radio, and internet services. Spectrum allocation is a finite resource — like real estate in the air — making it critical for competition. When one company controls too much spectrum, it can block competitors from entering the market, leading to higher prices and lower quality service for consumers.
Sources: Diario Crónica, BAE Negocios.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
