Reuters: Regulatory News: Key Mexican telecom regulator keeps post for another term

Reuters: Regulatory News Reuters.com is your source for breaking news, business, financial and investing news, including personal finance and stocks. Reuters is the leading global provider of news, financial information and technology solutions to the world's media, financial institutions, businesses and individuals. // via fulltextrssfeed.com

Key Mexican telecom regulator keeps post for another term May 9th 2012, 15:52 MEXICO CITY | Wed May 9, 2012 11:52am EDT MEXICO CITY May 9 (Reuters) - Gonzalo Martinez Pous, a prestigious lawyer and cornerstone of Mexico's telecommunications watchdog's five-member board, has retained the post for another six years, the communications and transport ministry said on Wednesday. Martinez Pous was the mastermind behind a telecom interconnection legal framework currently reviewed by the regulator known as Cofetel, aimed at curbing the power of Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, who controls Mexico's phone market. If Slim complies with some of the tough standards demanded by Cofetel, such as improving phone service and lowering prices for consumers, he may have a better chance of convincing regulators to let him into the coveted television market. So far, Slim, the world's richest man, has been banned from the lucrative broadcast arena due to fears over his influence in the market. His empire includes America Movil, which controls about 70 percent of the cell-phone market in Mexico and close to 80 percent of the fixed-line services. Analysts often point to Martinez Pous, who has worked for government agencies for 20 years, as one of the most capable Cofetel panel members. Some see him as a potential board president to enforce tighter rules for Slim. Martinez Pous was named Cofetel commissioner in 2006 by then-President Vicente Fox, but opposition lawmakers rejected his appointment claiming the government failed to provide enough information about his background. The rejection led to a two-year court battle, which Martinez Pous won to take up the job as commissioner in 2008. This will be his second six-year term. Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions