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LatAm Wrap-Up: Telefónica Brazil to virtualize CPE; Mexican recharge market

Telefónica Brazil is starting its first trial to virtualize customer premises equipment (CPE). The telecom operator is partnering with NEC Corporation for the trial. The CPE solution is expected to simplify the home equipment installation process, and in the process, Telefónica’s broadband network access and connectivity. According to the telecom, the solution’s simplicity and capacity to reduce breakdowns and other incidents provides flexibility, efficient maintenance and new-service rollout capability.

Telefónica noted that this move represents a new phase of the joint strategy being implemented by the two companies for the development of innovative software-based and virtualization-based network solutions. The solution, which came out of a prototype developed by Telefónica I+D, with contributions and integration by NEC, enables certain IP functions to be shifted away from the residential gateways (the equipment installed in the customer’s home) toward the carrier’s own network. As a result, end users can experience rapid service deployment, and improved network operation and maintenance benefits.

Following the trial, the objective is to have a solution ready for deployment by July 2014. The vCPE forms part of the NEC Telecom Carrier SDN Solutions.

Mexican recharge market— Since Mexico has 86.4 million prepaid lines and 2.4 million customers under hybrid plans, 87 out of 100 Mexican mobile customers are potentially using the recharge method of payment to add credits to their mobile lines. This portion of the mobile market is estimated to have generated approximately U.S.$10.62 million in 2012 , equivalent to a third of the total received by the segment. The number is expected to triple in the next two years. recargas mexico

New chip—Oi launched a “double cut chip” to serve customers who want to have both SIM Card and Micro SIM formats. The new chip was developed in partnership with Oberthur Technologies to house the newly released Oi Galera plan. Oi aims to provide a better user experience, allowing customers to exchange phones without having to replace the chip. These two types of chips cover the majority of handsets available on the Brazilian market. The new chip model will be available for all of the carrier’s plans and packages starting in 2014.

M-banking—Movistar Colombia launched Daviplata y Ahorro, which offers Movistar customers the ability to make balance inquiries, wire and transfer money, withdraw cash, pay bills, recharge their mobile phones and perform other transactions without the need for a bank account. Customers can find a list of banks to enable these services on the menu of the phone’s SIM card. After inserting their name and ID to open an account, they are able to start making transactions. There is no handling fee, and the banks charge between $200 and $ 1,300 Colombian pesos, depending on the service the customers use.

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Roberta Prescott
Roberta Prescott
Editor, [email protected] Roberta Prescott is responsible for Latin America reporting news and analysis, interviewing key stakeholders. Roberta has worked as an IT and telecommunication journalist since March 2005, when she started as a reporter with InformationWeek Brasil magazine and its website IT Web. In July 2006, Prescott was promoted to be the editor-in-chief, and, beyond the magazine and website, was in charge for all ICT products, such as IT events and CIO awards. In mid-2010, she was promoted to the position of executive editor, with responsibility for all the editorial products and content of IT Mídia. Prescott has worked as a journalist since 1998 and has three journalism prizes. In 2009, she won, along with InformationWeek Brasil team, the press prize 11th Prêmio Imprensa Embratel. In 2008, she won the 7th Unisys Journalism Prize and in 2006 was the editor-in-chief when InformationWeek Brasil won the 20th media award Prêmio Veículos de Comunicação. She graduated in Journalism by the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, has done specialization in journalism at the Universidad de Navarra (Spain, 2003) and Master in Journalism at IICS – Universidad de Navarra (Brazil, 2010) and MBA – Executive Education at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.