Telecom Argentina
A major Argentine telecommunications group providing fixed-line, mobile, broadband, pay-TV and related digital services.
Last updated October 24, 2026
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Overview
Telecom Argentina S.A. is one of Argentina's principal telecommunications companies. It operates in fixed-line telephony, mobile communications, broadband internet, cable television and associated digital services. In Argentina, its mobile operations have historically been marketed under the Personal brand, while its broadband and television businesses have used names including Arnet, Fibertel Lite, Cablevisión and Flow. The corporate name remains Telecom Argentina, even where consumer-facing services operate under a different brand. The company was created during Argentina's 1990 privatization of the state telecommunications monopoly ENTel. The former state network was divided geographically between two private operators: Telecom received the northern territory, including Buenos Aires, while Telefónica de Argentina received the southern territory. Telecom's initial shareholders included Stet International, associated with Telecom Italia, and France Télécom. The privatization granted the operators an initial period of territorial exclusivity, creating a fixed-line duopoly that lasted until the market was opened to additional competition in October 1999. The company was initially known as Sociedad Licenciataria Norte S.A. before adopting the Telecom Argentina name. Telecom inherited a telephone system affected by long delays for new connections, slow repairs, incomplete network documentation and aging switching equipment. During its first years, it undertook extensive modernization of the access network, central offices and long-distance infrastructure. The program included the replacement of much of the inherited copper network, deployment of high-capacity fiber transmission and conversion of older electromechanical exchanges. By 2005, the company stated that approximately 98 percent of the former ENTel infrastructure had been replaced. Telecom also developed beyond traditional fixed telephony. Its Personal operation became one of Argentina's leading mobile providers and expanded into data services and later-generation mobile networks. The company operated Arnet as an internet-access brand, while its cable and broadband activities grew through the integration of businesses associated with Cablevisión and Fibertel. In 2017 Telecom agreed to merge with Cablevisión, the media and telecommunications company associated with Grupo Clarín. The transaction was approved by the Argentine government in June 2018 and created a much broader communications group combining telecommunications, broadband, pay television, content distribution and media assets. After the transaction, the group operated cable television under the Flow brand and rebranded Arnet as Fibertel Lite in 2019. Telecom has also maintained regional interests. It owns a majority stake in Paraguay's Núcleo S.A., whose services are marketed under the Personal name, and it reached an arrangement with Uruguay's state telecommunications operator ANTEL to resell ANTEL services in Uruguay. These activities complement its core Argentine business, although Argentina remains its principal market. The company has faced financial and regulatory pressure at different points. It completed a major debt restructuring in 2005 after Argentina's wider financial crisis, and in 2008 announced a suspension of debt repayments while reporting debt above US$3.3 billion. Its consumer businesses have attracted criticism over telephone pricing, metered local calls, service information, tax disclosure and restrictions placed on broadband usage. Telecom reversed a controversial 4 GB monthly ADSL limit after customer criticism. The company has also been criticized over the fulfillment of obligations associated with subsidized service in remote areas. In December 2025, it announced plans to unify its consumer branding under Personal while retaining Telecom Argentina S.A. as its corporate legal name.
History
Telecom Argentina emerged from Argentina's privatization of state-owned utilities in 1990. The country's state telecommunications monopoly, ENTel, was divided into two geographic operating territories. Telecom received the northern portion, including the city of Buenos Aires and the broader northern market, while Telefónica de Argentina received the south. The private concession initially carried a seven-year period of exclusivity beginning on November 8, 1990. Telecom was initially associated with Stet International, the predecessor of Telecom Italia, and France Télécom. The company briefly used the legal name Sociedad Licenciataria Norte S.A. before becoming Telecom Argentina. The new operator inherited a severely underdeveloped network. During ENTel's worst years, customers could wait years for a new line and weeks for repairs. Network records were incomplete, many exchanges were obsolete, and the physical plant required broad reconstruction. Telecom responded with a large infrastructure program during its first eight years. It modernized local exchanges, rebuilt substantial portions of the copper access network and deployed a high-capacity long-distance fiber system. The modernization converted many electromechanical and manually operated exchanges into contemporary digital facilities. By 2005, approximately 98 percent of the inherited ENTel infrastructure had reportedly been replaced. Telecom and Telefónica initially formed the dominant fixed-line duopoly. The protected period ended as Argentina opened the local and long-distance market to further competition on October 8, 1999. The change forced Telecom to compete more broadly while it expanded into mobile communications and internet access. Its mobile subsidiary and brand, Personal, became one of Argentina's three principal mobile operators. Personal later developed mobile data and broader digital services and also became the brand used by Telecom's majority-owned Paraguayan operation, Núcleo S.A. The company diversified into internet access through Arnet and into cable and pay television through assets associated with Cablevisión and Fibertel. Its Puerto Madero headquarters, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, was inaugurated on February 18, 1998. Telecom's financial position was affected by Argentina's economic crisis and the international consequences of the country's debt default. In 2005, it completed a large debt restructuring involving new notes, cash and more than 1,100 creditors. In October 2008, it announced a suspension of debt repayments while reporting debt above US$3.3 billion. A major strategic change occurred when Telecom agreed in 2017 to merge with Cablevisión. The Argentine government approved the transaction in June 2018. The combined group became one of the country's largest communications and media enterprises, integrating fixed and mobile telecommunications with broadband, cable television, content distribution and related digital products. Following the merger, the former Arnet service was rebranded as Fibertel Lite in March 2019. Cable television and content services were subsequently associated with Flow. Telecom's regional activity includes a 67.5 percent interest in Paraguay's Núcleo S.A. and an arrangement to resell services supplied by Uruguay's state operator ANTEL. The proposed or agreed Uruguayan activity prompted objections from Claro, which asked the national regulator to prevent Personal from entering the market as a reseller. The company's public controversies have mainly concerned service quality, pricing and consumer transparency rather than a single defining corporate scandal. Critics have alleged that Telecom did not always fulfill subsidized rural-service obligations beyond installing public telephones. Other criticism has focused on per-minute local-call pricing, broadband traffic limits, contracts that did not clearly display taxes and insufficient disclosure of offer conditions. Telecom withdrew a 4 GB monthly ADSL limit after criticism from users. In December 2025, the company announced a consumer-brand consolidation under Personal while preserving Telecom Argentina S.A. as the legal corporate name.
- 2025
Consumer branding was planned for consolidation under Personal
[1]Telecom announced that it would unify its consumer-facing operations under Personal while retaining Telecom Argentina S.A. as the corporate name.
- 2019
Arnet became Fibertel Lite
[1]Telecom rebranded the Arnet internet service as Fibertel Lite.
- 2018
Cablevisión merger received government approval
[1]The Argentine government approved the Telecom-Cablevisión transaction, creating a broader telecommunications and media group.
- 2017
Telecom agreed to merge with Cablevisión
[1]The proposed combination joined Telecom's telecommunications operations with Cablevisión's cable, broadband and media assets.
- 2008
Debt repayment suspension announced
[1]Telecom announced a suspension of debt repayments amid financial difficulties and debt reported above US$3.3 billion.
- 2005
Network replacement reached approximately 98 percent
[1]Telecom reported that nearly all of the former ENTel network infrastructure had been replaced after years of modernization.
- 2005
Large debt restructuring was completed
[1]The company restructured outstanding debt through an exchange involving newly issued notes, cash and more than 1,100 creditors.
- 1999
Fixed-line market exclusivity ended
[1]The initial protected duopoly with Telefónica ended on October 8 as Argentina liberalized the telecommunications market.
- 1998
Puerto Madero headquarters opened
[1]The company's Buenos Aires headquarters in Puerto Madero, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, was inaugurated on February 18.
- 1990
Telecom Argentina was created through ENTel privatization
[1]Argentina divided the former state telecommunications monopoly geographically, assigning Telecom the northern territory and Telefónica the southern territory. Telecom's initial exclusivity period began on November 8.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated Argentine communications provider combining mobile, fixed connectivity, broadband, pay television and digital distribution. Its consumer-facing identity has centered on Personal, while Telecom Argentina S.A. remains the corporate platform.
Mobile telecommunications
Personal
Personal is Telecom Argentina's principal consumer mobile brand. It provides mobile voice, messaging and data services in Argentina and is also used by the company's Paraguayan operation through its majority interest in Núcleo S.A. The brand adopted a distinctive handwritten-style logo and multicolor visual identity in 2011. Telecom announced in 2025 that Personal would become the unified consumer-facing brand for its wider service portfolio.
Broadband internet
Arnet
Arnet was Telecom Argentina's internet-service brand, including ADSL broadband offerings. It became an important part of the company's expansion beyond fixed voice services. The brand attracted criticism over a proposed 4 GB monthly usage limit and additional traffic charges; the company reversed that policy after customer opposition. Arnet was rebranded as Fibertel Lite in March 2019.
Broadband internet · 2019
Fibertel Lite
Fibertel Lite replaced the Arnet brand in 2019 as part of Telecom Argentina's post-Cablevisión-merger broadband organization. It represents the group's fixed internet offering associated with the Fibertel identity.
Pay television and digital content
Flow
Flow is the consumer-facing identity used for Telecom Argentina's cable television and content-distribution activities after the Cablevisión combination. The offering sits at the intersection of pay television, broadband connectivity and digital content access.
Fixed telecommunications · 1990
Fixed-line telephony
Telecom Argentina operates fixed telephone services in the northern part of Argentina, including Buenos Aires. The business was established through the geographic division of ENTel and was initially protected from direct competition. It remains part of the company's fixed connectivity and enterprise telecommunications portfolio.
Controversies
2020
Ransomware attack on Telecom Argentina
Telecom Argentina experienced a ransomware attack in which hackers took over the company's internal network, encrypted files, and demanded a $7.5 million ransom in Monero. According to reporting at the time, initial reports suggested that no end-users had been affected and that the attack was limited to the company's internal systems. No ransomware group had claimed responsibility at the time of reporting.
Criticism over rural-service obligations and consumer transparency
Critics alleged that Telecom did not fully deliver services associated with government subsidies for remote areas and objected to pricing, per-minute local calls, unclear offer information, contracts that excluded taxes from displayed prices and other disclosure practices.
Controversy over ADSL usage limits
Telecom was heavily criticized after proposing a 4 GB monthly limit for ADSL users with additional charges for excess traffic. The company subsequently reversed the policy.
Brand decisions
2025
Unify consumer operations under PersonalStrategyBackground
Telecom announced a simplification of its consumer brand architecture across telecommunications and related services.
Action taken
The company planned to operate its consumer-facing activities under Personal while retaining Telecom Argentina S.A. as the legal corporate name.
Aftermath
The announcement positioned Personal as the group's principal unified consumer brand.
2019
Replace Arnet with Fibertel LiteGeneration changeBackground
The broadband portfolio was reorganized after the Cablevisión merger.
Action taken
Telecom rebranded the Arnet internet service as Fibertel Lite.
Aftermath
The change consolidated the service under the Fibertel-related broadband identity.
2017
Agree to merge with CablevisiónM&ABackground
Telecom sought to combine telecommunications infrastructure with Cablevisión's cable television, broadband and media operations.
Action taken
The companies agreed to merge, subject to government approval.
Aftermath
Approval followed in June 2018, and the resulting group became a major Argentine communications and media enterprise.
2005
Restructure approximately US$1.5 billion of debtStrategyBackground
Telecom undertook a major restructuring after the financial disruption associated with Argentina's economic crisis. The process involved more than 1,100 creditors.
Action taken
The company exchanged approximately US$2.8 billion of outstanding debt for newly issued exchange notes and cash.
Aftermath
The restructuring was described as the largest Argentine debt restructuring at that time.
Debt restructuring. Approximately US$2.8 billion in outstanding debt subject to exchange → New exchange notes and cash; restructuring framework referenced approximately US$1.5 billion of debt (2005)
Recent events
Telecom Argentina announces FY2020 results[3]
Reported:
Telecom Argentina announced its consolidated annual and fourth-quarter results for fiscal year 2020, reporting consolidated revenues of P$301,596 million and a net loss of P$5,104 million.
- Unconfirmed
Ransomware attack on Telecom Argentina[2]
Reported:
Hackers took over Telecom Argentina's internal network, encrypted files and demanded a $7.5 million ransom in Monero. The report says initial reports suggested no end-users had been affected and that the attack was limited to the company's internal systems; no ransomware group had claimed responsibility at the time of reporting.
Sources4 sources
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