Arias, Fábrega & Fábrega's lawyers are leaders in advising clients in the television and radio broadcasting businesses, as well as in the cable TV industry.

Concerning their experience in the radio and TV sector, for over two decades the firm has served as counsel for Grupo Medcom owning the TV rights for Panama's most relevant public TV channels:  "Telemetro" Channel 13 and "RPC" Channel 4. ARIFA assisted Grupo Medcom in connection with their concession rights for the public TV "Tele 7" Channel 7, on VHF bandwidth and regularly provide advice on radio and TV matters.

Also, ARIFA has served as counsel to Cable Onda, S.A., Panama's main provider of cable TV services including digital TV, pay per view and DVR, also providing Internet and fixed telephony services. Recently the firm assisted Cable Onda, S.A. in the sale to Millicom, and previously in its M&A agreement with local telecom operator Tele-Carrier, Inc. mainly providing corporate fixed telephony services, and have participated in the negotiations and drafting of agreement with their providers of satellite signals.

Concerning their experience in the telecommunications sector, ARIFA has provided services to various companies such as Google, Inc. (review of agreements on telecoms matters); Verizon Business (Panama Branch) and MCI International on regular telecom queries; Promitel Panama, S.A. (subsidiary of Colombia’s Promigas group) providing Internet and data capacity (we assisted in their operations set up and regulatory filings); Sitel Operating Corp., an international call center (we assisted in connection with their operations set up, call center license, and regulatory filings); Banco General, Panama's largest local bank on their IT queries, as well as American Express, among others.

ARIFA regularly provide advice to its clients on telecom related matters and defend their clients' interests before the regulator ("Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Públicos" or "ASEP") as well as before the Supreme Court of Justice.

Years of joint collaboration with local telecom, radio and TV regulatory entities have allowed them to better understand public administration and to build solid and  truly beneficial relations at the highest levels for the benefit of their international clients.They also file for permits and requests before the ASEP as may be needed, and are prepared to negotiate agreements with other carriers and operators which would allow their clients to implement their business operations in Panama.

An ARIFA partners played a significant role in the drafting of Panama's media and communication law.  The team was responsible for preparing the recent Lex Mundi telecom survey for Panama.

Representative Clients

Cable Onda, Caracol TV, Corporación Medcom and MHC Holdings.