Argentina approves Telecom 'quadruple play' services

Approval had been expected in early 2018 after phone company Telecom Argentina SA and Cablevision SA, an internet, cable TV and data transmission company, reached a merger agreement in July.

Enacom also said on Friday it had authorized mobile phone providers Claro and Telefonica licenses to offer pay television and radio services in select cities in Argentina.

Cable TV provider Supercanal Sociedad Anónima would also be allowed to offer mobile phone service, Enacom said.

"The government is encouraging the convergence of services like quadruple play that mean more offers for users and better quality communication," Enacom President Miguel De Godoy said in the statement.

In December Enacom approved the Telecom Argentina and Cablevision merger on the condition that the combined company divest 80 of its estimated 220 megahertz to avoid exceeding the government airwaves limit. The merger still needs approval from Argentina's CNDC antitrust regulator.

The government of business-friendly President Mauricio Macri said in late 2016 it expected Telecom reforms to attract $20 billion in investments over four years.

(Reporting by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Richard Chang)