Telmex sees 200% broadband increase

Mexican incumbent telco Telmex (NYSE: TMX) registered a 200% increase in broadband distribution over the year-ended September 2004, according to a company statement. Broadband deployment in Mexico increased 79% from December 31, 2003-June 30, 2004, placing it second only to Poland, which registered 80% growth over the period. "This places our country with the highest percentage growth of broadband services in the Americas," the statement said. The broadband study was conducted across 70 countries by UK analysis firm Point Topic. Telmex closed September 2004 with 1.6 million internet accounts, of which 456,000 were broadband subscriber connections. "At Telmex, we promise to place Mexico in the new world of high-speed connectivity that modern world economies need," Telmex CEO Jaime Chico Pardo said in the statement. Between March and June 2004, Mexico's ADSL connections increased by 42.5%, beating out Argentina's 25.8% and Brazil's 15.6% growth. Telmex plans to spend US$2bn in 2005 on improving its general network infrastructure. Part of this amount will go toward bringing high-speed internet to all corners of the country as soon as possible, according to Telmex strategic alliances director Arturo Elías Ayub.