Panama’s regulator has recommenced its attempts to find a taker for Digicel Panama’s licence after the sole bidder General Internacional Telecom Panama (Gitpan) failed to provide adequate documentation.
ASEP (Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Publicos / National Public Services Authority) issued Resolution AN No. 18343-Telco to re-launch the prequalification process on 10th April. It will remain ongoing until 24th May 2023, with ASEP noting that Gitpan remains “authorised to participate and provide the documentation that was indicated by the Evaluation Commission.”
We reported in March that Gitpan, a subsidiary of General International Telecom Limited, had emerged as the only party interested in acquiring the PCS licence (No.106) which was returned to ASEP by Digicel Panama when it exited the market last year. Valid for 20 years, the licence includes 2x 15MHz blocks in the 1900MHz band and 2x10MHz blocks in the 700MHz band.
ASEP noted at this time that it wished to award the licence to an established player with at least five years of experience providing mobile services in another market, with no fewer than half a million subscribers. While Gitpan’s credentials in this regard are not clear, its parent firm acquired 99.3% of Telefonica Moviles El Salvador in January 2022 for US$144 million.
TeleGeography reports that General International Telecom Limited is headquartered in the United Kingdom, and was incorporated in June 2021. Its initial shareholder was the Jaguar Fund, based in the Cayman Islands.
