20/06/2026 13:14 - Economia
Smartphones flotando sobre un mapa digital de Argentina con ondas de conexión que representan la fusión de empresas de telecomunicaciones, en un entorno tecnológico moderno con colores azul y naranja
On June 18, 2026, the Competition Defense Tribunal approved the acquisition of Telefónica Móviles Argentina by Telecom in a transaction valued at USD 1.25 billion, fundamentally reshaping the country's telecommunications landscape.
The deal, originally announced in February 2025, marks the complete withdrawal of Telefónica from Argentina after 36 years of continuous presence. The Spanish telecommunications giant entered the Argentine market in 1990 following the privatization of ENTel (the state-owned national telecommunications company), acquiring the southern license zone and eventually growing to serve 20 million customers with approximately 10,000 employees.
| Indicator | Without Conditions | With Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile market concentration | 70% | 50% |
| Customers to divest | - | 6 million |
| Spectrum to transfer | - | 130 MHz |
This transaction unfolds amid ongoing tension between President Javier Milei's administration and Grupo Clarín, Argentina's largest media conglomerate and majority shareholder of Telecom. Following this acquisition, Grupo Clarín positions itself as the sole national convergent operator in Argentina, raising concerns about market concentration.
Context for international readers: Grupo Clarín is Argentina's most influential media group, controlling newspapers, television, radio, and telecommunications. The AMBA region (Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires) refers to the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area, home to approximately 15 million people - roughly one-third of Argentina's population.
Competitors like Claro (part of Mexican conglomerate América Móvil) and Telecentro challenged the operation from its announcement, arguing it could create a de facto monopoly in Argentine telecommunications. The ENACOM (National Communications Agency) prepared a technical report that served as the foundation for conditions imposed by the Tribunal.
The 6 million customers to be divested will transfer to another operator to maintain competition
211,000 customers across 28 localities will be reassigned to ensure market diversity
Infrastructure access guaranteed for 2 years to facilitate smooth handover
Telefónica's departure from Argentina represents the closing of a historic chapter in the nation's telecommunications development. The Spanish company was one of the primary beneficiaries of ENTel's privatization in the 1990s, a landmark event in Argentina's economic liberalization following decades of state-owned monopoly.
The National Competition Authority (ANC) approved both structural and behavioral conditions to ensure competition in the sector remains healthy. These measures aim to prevent Telecom from excessively concentrating Argentina's mobile and internet markets, protecting consumer interests and market dynamism.
Sources: Competition Defense Tribunal, ENACOM, National Competition Authority (ANC).
Alfredo S. Quiroga
