YOU ARE AT:AmericasCelistics sees 'enormous' growth for Latin America

Celistics sees ‘enormous’ growth for Latin America

Celistics sees strong growth opportunities across Latin America

BARCELONA, Spain – Despite an economic crisis countries in Latin America are facing, the telecommunications sector has a lot of growth potential, explained Jose Antonio Rios, CEO of Celistics, in a video interview with RCR Wireless News during the recent Mobile World Congress event.

“We are in a segment that has not been fulfilled yet,” Rios said. “In the next four or five years, 50% of the people will have access to the Internet through their phone. So, it still leaves us with the other 50% for after 2020.”

GSMA released a study noting there were 363 million people living in Latin America covered by mobile networks, but don’t subscribe to mobile broadband services.

“The potential of growth is enormous for the next 10 years,” Rios said, adding the market has not reached half of its potential.

Rios also noted the entry of new mobile phone brands across Latin America has increased competition and met growing consumer demand for devices, but there remains a strong black market due to economic challenges. “Everybody wants a smartphone. They can’t afford it sometimes,” Rios added.

Talking about the Celistics’ operations in the region, Rios said Brazil is the company’s largest market, although the country’s economic condition makes it challenging. Rios did note the company was about to make an acquisition in an effort to boost growth.

Editor’s note: Samsung provided travel costs to the Mobile World Congress event.

ABOUT AUTHOR

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.