Telecom Americas hasn?t ruled out the possibility of gobbling up BCP at some point going forward, although it has just acquired a wireless license for metropolitan São Paulo (where BCP operates B band). ?If another opportunity arises, we?ll look at it,? says CEO Carlos Henrique Moreira. The problem that prevents talk of a deal at present is BCP?s 1.9 billion US Dollar debt. Gaining a foothold in Minas Gerais is also on the consortium?s wishlist. The ?easiest? way would be to buy Telemig Celular. ?If Opportunity wants to put it up for sale some day, we?ll be there to discuss a deal,? he says.
Investment
Meanwhile, Telecom Americas is preparing to build out networks in its new coverage areas ? metropolitan São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina, Bahia and Sergipe. Carlos Henrique Moreira says operations will begin in all three areas by the middle of next year, for investment of 800m USD over three to four years. This figure includes the cost of overlaying GSM on the group?s existing TDMA networks. Credit is scarce at the moment, but financing from equipment vendors should be sufficient to guarantee part of the investment, he says. The timing of migration to PCS is still an open question, but it will probably happen early in 2003. Telecom Americas plans to acquire additional frequencies in C band at the end of this year. No decision has been taken yet on the branding of operations in the three new areas.
