Juan Carlos Perez

Rabid competition among providers of wireless telephony services in Latin America is thinning their revenue streams, but rising demand from subscribers for using mobile phones to exchange data, such as text messages, could inject much-needed cash into the providers' coffers, according to a new study.

An explosion in Web-site creation in Latin America has boosted Adobe Systems Inc.'s sales in the region by about 100 per cent in fiscal year 2000 compared with 1999, but piracy continues to dog this maker of publishing software.

Latin America wants to speed up and enhance its telecommunications services. And it wants it now.

Apple Computer Inc. and Ingram Micro Inc. announced Tuesday separately the opening of new subsidiaries in Latin America to strengthen their presence in the region.