Claro Americas

Claro

Type	subsidiary of América Móvil
Industry	Wireless Services
Founded	2003
Headquarters	Flagship headquarters Brasilia Local headquarters Argentina Mexico Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico Uruguay Venezuela
Key people	Daniel Hajj Aboumrad -CEO Carlos J. García Moreno -CFO Carlos Cárdenas -Exec LatAm Operations
Products	UMTS/HSDPA, CDMA, GSM, AMPS, Wireless Data Services, Push to Talk
Revenue	N/A
Employees	N/A
Parent	América Móvil
Website	www.americamovil.com

Claro is part of América Móvil, a Mexican telecom group that is one of the four largest mobile phone network operators in the world, with more than 50 million customers. Claro serves clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. The company's name can mean bright, clear or of course in both Portuguese and Spanish.

Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

Further information: Claro Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

Claro was launched in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on March 25, 2008, in a rebranding of CTI Móvil. As of March 31, 2007, the former brand provided patronage to more than 12,795 million subscribers, with services on CDMA/1XRTT and GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless technologies. As of March 2008, Claro has more subscribers than the other companies.^{[citation needed]}

CTI Móvil had purchased Hutchison Telecommunications Paraguay S.A. (the latter operated as "Port Hable") in July 2005, to begin serving customers in that country. Claro subsequently competes with international operators like Tigo (Millicom), Personal (Telecom Argentina / Telecom Italia), and VOX (formerly KDDI, VOX was acquired in 2011 by the state landline company, COPACO S.A.).

Claro provides a 3G UMTS/HSDPA network to the largest cities in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, and claims to offer the best 3G coverage in the region.

Claro Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay slogans

Claro advertisement on a Billboard in Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

• "Es simple. Es Claro." ("It's simple. It's 'Clear' [translation of 'Claro'].")
• "Claro es Internet móvil de alta velocidad." ("Claro is high-speed mobile Internet.")
• "¿Querés cambiar? Vení a Claro." ("Want to change? Come to Claro.")
• "Proveemos la mayor cobertura 3G de Argentina." ("We provide the largest 3G coverage in Argentina.")
• "Claro que tienes más." ("'Surely' you have more [translation of 'Claro'].")

Brazil

In Brazil, the Claro brand was launched in 2003 with the merger of América Móvil-owned operators, ATL (serving the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo), BCP (with service in São Paulo metropolitan area, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Ceará, Paraíba, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte), Americel (operating in Acre, Tocantins, Rondônia, the Brazilian Federal District, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul), Tess Celular (other areas of São Paulo state) and Claro Digital (serving Rio Grande do Sul).

Claro later expanded its services and now also operates in the states of Bahia, Sergipe, Santa Catarina, Paraná and Minas Gerais. As of 2012, the provider operates in over 2,000 Brazilian cities.

Claro Brazil has GSM/GPRS/EDGE services at 900/1800 MHz, and, since November 13, 2007, offers UMTS/HSDPA 3G service in the 850 MHz band; a small 1900 MHz operation exists in the Pelotas region of Rio Grande do Sul. Since August 2008, Claro has also expanded its UMTS/HSDPA network to Minas Gerais, Bahia, Sergipe, Espírito Santo, Amazonas and Pará, using the 2100 MHz band.

Along with competitor, Vivo, Claro was one of two operators to initiate the availability of the iPhone 3G in Brazil, with TIM participating later.

Claro Brazil has runs a pay TV service named "Claro TV".

Claro Brazil slogans

• "Nós escutamos" ("We listen")
• "Claro que você tem mais". ("'Of course' you have more [translation of 'Claro'].")
• "A vida na sua mão" ("The life on your hand".)
• "Escolha". ("Choose".)
• "Compartilhe cada momento". ("Share every moment".)

Colombia

While Claro has developed a large market share in Colombia, the data for "prepaid" customers shows that Claro has lost a substantial percentage of market-share to competing service providers, Tigo and Movistar; this might be due to Claro's position as the most expensive per-minute service provider in the country's prepaid market.^{[citation needed]} Both Tigo and Movistar offer prepaid customers flat-rate per-minute plans for calls placed to all mobile service providers and landlines within Colombia (229 pesos and 199 pesos per minute, respectively). The cheapest per-minute rate for Claro prepaid customers is 249 pesos per minute; a rate that is delivered for only nine "preferred Claro numbers". The per minuite rates increase dramatically for calls placed to Claro numbers not on a customers ¨Preferred¨ list and all calls placed to other cell phone providers or land line numbers. If the current trend in prepaid market share shift continues, Claro will drop to third place in Colombia´s prepaid cell phone market by mid-2013.

Costa Rica

After the opening of telecommunications in Costa Rica, breaking the telecommunications monopoly ICE Group, the government opened a tender for companies wishing to enter Costa Rica to operate in the telecommunications field, the first phase clearly outperforms the competition organized by Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL) of Costa Rica to secure a license to operate in Costa Rica, which on January 18, 2011, was given a course, the company began offering lines from November 5, to users who previously registered on their official website or through social networks, was officially launched on 11 November. Currently offer their services in the 1800 MHz band 2G and 3G 2100Mhz the band, which compete directly with kölbi (state operator, owned by ICE, who operate in the bands 850Mhz and 1800Mhz on 3G 2G) and Movistar (850Mhz and 2100Mhz 3G and 2G 1800Mhz).

Claro Costa Rica Slogan

• “Claro que sí." (“Of Course ['Claro'].")

Chile

The brand was launched in Chile on August 6, 2006, after the acquisition of Smartcom PCS. Claro Chile has services GSM/GPRS/EDGE in 850/1900 MHz, and since December 2007 has 3G UMTS/HSDPA service in the 850 MHz band.

Claro Chile Slogans

• "Si hablas Claro, Claro que tienes más." ("If you speak 'Clearly' [translation of 'Claro' in English], 'Of Course' [another translation of 'Claro'] you have more.")
• "Yo soy Claro, y me gusta." ("I am Clear, and I like it.")

Dominican Republic

Further information: Claro República Dominicana

The brand was launched in the Dominican Republic on January 31, 2007, after the acquisition of Verizon Dominicana on April 3, 2006.

Claro Dominicana have services over CDMA 1xEV-DO in 800/1900 MHz, GSM/GPRS/EDGE in 850/1900 MHz, and since August 7, 2007 has 3G UMTS/HSDPA service in the 850 MHz band.

Claro Dominican Republic Slogans

• "Claro que tienes más." (Of Course you have more.)
• "Yo, soy Claro." (I am Clear.)
• "La Red donde todo es posible" (The network where everything is possible.)

Ecuador

Also in Ecuador America Movil is present with Conecel, commercially known as Porta, until February 2011. The name Porta will be switched to Claro, as a commercial strategy of America Movil. It is the country's leading operator with almost 9 million subscribers, and launching WCDMA services.

Claro Ecuador Slogans

• "Más cerca. Más Claro" ("Closer. Clearer")

El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua

The brand was launched in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua on September 2006 as a rebranding of the former PCS Digital, Alo, Personal and Enitel brands.

Claro operates in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua individual GSM/GPRS networks over 1900 MHz licenses.

Claro Honduras launched the first UMTS 1900 MHz network in Honduras.

Claro Nicaragua has launched the first UMTS network in Central America, over the 850 MHz spectrum. It's also the first UMTS 850 MHz commercial wireless network in Latin America.

Claro El Salvador Slogans

• "Cubrimos tus Momentos, Cubrimos tus Lugares, Cubrimos tu Nación, Cubrimos tu Diversión, Cubrimos El Salvador. Siempre estás cubierto con Claro." ("We cover your moments, we cover your places, we cover your nation, we cover your entertainment, we cover El Salvador. You are always covered with Claro.")
• "Hablamos de todo... Hablamos Claro." ("We talk about everything... We talk 'Clear' ['Claro'].")
• "Claro que sí." "Of course, Yes!"

Claro Honduras Slogans

• "Hablamos de todo... Hablamos Claro." ("We talk about everything... We talk 'Clear' ['Claro'].")
• "Claro que tienes más." ("Of course you have more.")

Claro Nicaragua Slogans

• "Claro. La vida en tus manos." ("Of course (claro). Life is in your hands.")
• "Claro que si." ("Yes, of course")

Guatemala

Further information: Claro Guatemala

Claro was launched in Guatemala on September 7, 2006 as a rebranding of the Telgua owned PCS Digital and Alo de PCS brands. As of March 31, 2007 Claro in Guatemala had more than 5.2 million subscribers under this brand, with services on CDMA/1XRTT, GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA (some cities with HSPA) wireless technologies._{(The international brand is Claro, which means Clear and without problems.)}

It is the only provider with license to operate in both 900 and 1900 MHz spectra. The CDMA network operates only in the 1900 MHz band and the GSM/GPRS/EDGE network operates in both 900 MHz and 1900 MHz.

Claro Guatemala has launch the first UMTS/HSDPA (1900 MHz) network in Guatemala on April 16, with 1.8 Mbit/s of download, the network was update to the first UMTS/HSPA network as a trial for América Móvil, the network have coverage in all capital cities, reaching up to 40 cities with UMTS/HSDPA coverage and 7 cities with HSPA.

Claro Guatemala Slogans

• "En toda Guatemala... hablamos Claro." ("In all of Guatemala... we speak 'Clear' [translation of 'Claro' in English].")
• "Con Claro, Claro que tienes más." ("With Claro, 'Of Course' [another translation of 'Claro'] you have more.")
• "Cubrimos tus momentos, tus lugares, tu diversión, cubrimos Guatemala. Siempre estás cubierto con Claro." ("We cover your moments, your places, your entertainment, we cover Guatemala. You are always covered with Claro.")
• "Hablamos de todo... Hablamos Claro." ("We talk about everything... We talk 'Clear' ['Claro'].")

Jamaica

Further information: Claro Jamaica

Claro was launched as rebranding the heritage MiPhone. Oceanic Digital Jamaica Limited (ODJ) is a wholly owned subsidiary of América Móvil, and as of October 2008 provides service under the Claro name. They have built a GSM/UMTS/HSDPA network alongside the current CDMA network. The plans include serving fixed wireless and broadband services on the CDMA network. Claro has become one of the main mobile networks in Jamaica competing with Digicel and LIME.

Panama

The Panama government has authorized a license to use the spectrum in Panama by America Móvil, who now provides services under the Claro brand. The government's effort aims at the expansion of competition and mobile access to the Panamanian population.

Claro Panama Slogan

• "Yo lo tengo Claro." ("I Got It Clear ['Claro'].")

Peru

Claro operates under this brand from October 11 of 2005, after the acquisition by America Movil of the companyTIM Peru besides America Movil had won a bid to enter Peru months ago. The company claims to be more coverage of the country as OSIPTEL and second in number of users after Movistar. This country has more than 9 million users.

Claro Peru offers network services GSM in the frequency of 1900 MHz, the same as with GPRS and EDGE in almost all the territory, also has a network UMTS in the frequency 850Mhz.

In April 2008 was the first company to launch a service 3G on a platform GSM, using the technology UMTS and updated HSDPA in the 850 MHz band to a speed up to 1.5 Mbit/s

On October 1, 2010 merged with Telmex Peru. The commercial director of America Movil, Rodrigo Arosemena, confirmed the start of the process.

On November 16, 2011 Claro announced that is to be the first operator in Peru have technology 4G, based on a network HSPA + reaching the speed of 5 Mbit/s download.

Claro Peru Slogan

• " La RED donde todo es posible. " ("The NETWORK where everything is possible.")

Puerto Rico

Further information: Claro Puerto Rico

The Claro brand was launched in Puerto Rico on May 18, 2007 as a rebranding the Verizon Wireless trademark. Claro is the wireless arm of Puerto Rico Telephone which serves wireline telephone and data services in the island. The brand was introduced to the wireless segment after the March 30, 2007 acquisition of the telecom by América Móvil. Several problems with the transition have been the non-transportability of a Claro Puerto Rico telephone to the United States, a country where many Puerto Ricans fly into and out of, causing a defection towards AT&T.

Claro Puerto Rico is currently the second largest mobile network serving the island (after AT&T Mobility), with more than 1,000,000 customers and the most complete coverage serving the island's 78 municipalities/cities. The first cellular network in the island was introduced by Puerto Rico Telephone during the 1980s. The history goes back to Celulares Telefónica, which operated until 2001 under that brand, when the Verizon Wireless brand was introduced.

The company launched a 3G GSM/UMTS network parallel to the CDMA/EvDO network it operates since 2002. Claro has mobile voice and data services in Puerto Rico's 78 cities and towns and its coverage is constantly expanding, the company says.

On May 1, 2008, Claro introduced the VideoCall service through its 3G GSM network. The customers are able to make calls using the videocamera of their cellphone, to any other VideoCall user. The service places a new standard of calling in the island -being first introduced by Claro- enabling the users to make dual-sided video calls.

Claro Puerto Rico Slogans

GSM Network Launch Slogans

• "Tu poder es Claro." ("Your power is clear (One of the possible translations to english of Claro).")
• "Tu alcance es Claro." ("Your reach is clear.")
• "El futuro es Claro." ("The future is clear.")
• "Si quieres más poder, cámbiate a Claro." ("If you want more power, switch to Claro.")

Company motto:

• "Si tienes Claro, lo tienes todo." ("If you have Claro, you have it all")
• Former: "La red más poderosa habla Claro." ("The most powerful network speaks clearly.")
• Former: "Que nada te detenga." ("Let nothing stop you.")

Brand transition slogans:

• "Bienvenido a un mundo mejor." ("Welcome to a better world")
• "Verizon Wireless, la red más poderosa, ahora es Claro." ("Verizon Wireless, the most powerful network, is now Claro.")

Causes

In 2012, Claro Americas is listed as a partner of the (RED) campaign, together with other brands such as Nike, Girl, American Express and Converse. The campaign's mission is to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child by 2015 (the campaign's byline is "Fighting For An AIDS Free Generation").

External links

Claro's Regional websites

• Claro Argentina
• Claro Brazil
• Claro Chile
• Claro Colombia
• Claro Costa Rica
• Claro Dominican Republic
• Claro Ecuador
• Claro El Salvador
• Claro Guatemala
• Claro Honduras
• Claro Nicaragua
• Claro Panama
• Claro Paraguay
• Claro Peru
• Claro Puerto Rico
• Claro Uruguay

Other América Móvil Brands

• Telcel México