T elecommunications

Dating back to the landmark privatization of Telmex in 1990, where we advised France Cables et Radio (France Telecomm) as member of the winning consortium, our Firm has been at the forefront of the telecommunications industry, working on some of Mexico´s most complex and high-profile transactions and cases during that period.

Our activity in the sector includes transactional work, most notably mergers and acquisitions, lending and capital markets transactions, as well as advising prominent local and international telecommunications companies on competition and regulatory matters.

Below is a list (which is organized in alphabetical order based on our client’s name) of selected matters which, is intended to give a brief indication of our experience in the telecommunications sector:

• Counsel to Gentex Corporation in connection with the pre-merger filing regarding the acquisition of the wireless vehicle/home communication business known as HomeLink®.
• Counsel to AT&T in connection with the acquisition of Nextel Mexico, for approximately US$ 1.875 billion.
• Counsel to AT&T in connection with the sale of its 8% equity interest in America Móvil, for approximately US$5.57 billion.
• Counsel to AT&T in connection with the acquisition of DIRECTV, and its resulting indirect interest in Sky Mexico.
• Counsel to Banamex as local collateral agent in the restructuring of Nextel´s debt with NII Holdings Inc., Motorola Credit Corporation and Wilmington Trust Company.
• Counsel to Cablemás, S.A. de C.V., one of Mexico’s largest cable television operators,  in connection with the acquisition of several cable systems in Mexico, including the acquisition of United Mexico Comunicaciones, S.A. de C.V. and Megapo Comunicaciones de México, S.A. de C.V., which operate in Cuernavaca, Acapulco, Chilpancingo and neighboring cities.
• Counsel to Cablemás, S.A. de C.V. in connection with the establishment of a joint venture with Axtel to develop the first of its kind “triple-play” platform in Mexico, designed to offer bundled video, Internet and television services.
• Counsel to Cablemás in connection with its US$175 high-yield bond offering.
• Counsel to Credit Suisse and the other underwriters in connection with the initial public offering of Axtel, S.A.B. de C.V.
• Counsel to Credit Suisse and other initial purchasers in connection with multiple bond offerings and exchange offers by Axtel, S.A.B. de C.V.
• Counsel to Echostar Communications in the attempted acquisition of Satelites Mexicanos (SatMex). The transaction did not close due to target´s failure to obtain requisite creditor approval through consent solicitations.
• Counsel to Ericsson Finance as the largest creditor in the successful reorganization and rehabilitation out of bankruptcy of Miditel, a Mexican public telephony operator.
• Counsel to France Cables et Radio (France Telecomm) in connection with the privatization of Teléfonos de México (Telmex).
• Counsel to Grupo Medcom in connection with the setting-up and launching of its direct-to-home television business, which included negotiating an equity investment by SINCA Imbursa and a joint venture with Echostar Communications Corporation.
• Counsel to Grupo Medcom in connection with the sale of what, at that time, was the largest open broadcast radio station operator in Mexico, to Grupo Radio Centro.
• Counsel to MCI Communications Corporation in connection with creation of a joint venture company with Banacci, to obtain the first long-distance concession in Mexico since the privatization of Telmex.
• Counsel to Microsoft Corporation in its joint venture with Teléfonos de México, S.A. de C.V., for the creation of the Spanish language portal T1msn.
• Counsel to Morgan Stanley, as independent advisor to the Board of America Telecom, S.A. de C.V. (AMTEL), in connection with the merger of Amtel America Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.
• Counsel to Nokia in the acquisition of sole control over Alcatel-Lucent.
• Counsel to PanAmSat (now Intelsat) in connection with the obtention of the first of its kind concession to operate and exploit their satellite fleet in Mexico, and the negotiation of contracts with Mexican companies and partners relating to the sale and provision of space segment and satellite capacity and other telecommunications services in Mexico.
• Counsel to PanAmSat Corporation (now Intelsat) in its joint venture with a subsidiary of Grupo Pegaso, to provide satellite-based telecommunications services in Mexico using PanAmSat satellites, for an undisclosed amount.
• Counsel to Qwest Communications Corporation (now Century Link) in connection with the acquisition of fiber from Bestel.
• Counsel to Southern Cross Group in the acquisition of 67% of a SPV holding 99.99% of the stock in Even Telecom, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican company specialized in construction of telecom infrastructure and leasing of telecom towers.
• Counsel to Sprint in connection with the acquisition and subsequent sale of its equity interest in Pegaso Telecomunicaciones, now Telefónica Moviles.
• Counsel to a consortium of financial sponsors, including AIG-GE Capital Latin American Infrastructure Fund, American International Underwriters Overseas, Edison Capital International, MP Mexico and Progreso Cable Ventures, in connection with an equity investment in Cablemás, which is one of Mexico’s largest cable television operators, and the acquisition of several cable systems in Mexico, including the networks in Merida, Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Poza Rica and Campeche.
• Counsel to a consortium, including Mrs. Adrian Sada and Clemente Serna in their bid to acquire the government owned Television Azteca (television network), the Television Channel 7 Network, Estudios America (film production studios), Compañía Operadora de Teatros (movie theater operator) and El Nacional newspaper from the Mexican government.
• On the regulatory front, our clients include AT&T, Intelsat, Vodafone, Crown Castle International, Century Link and Hughes Network Services, whom we advise on a routine basis in connection with various Mexican regulatory matters, including licensing requirements and the legal framework applicable to the provision of telecommunications services, including value-added services.
• Counsel to Vodafone in its acquisition and subsequent sale of a 34.5% equity interest in Grupo Iusacell, one of Mexico´s largest telecommunications companies, for approximately US$973 million.