Telefonica SA

Telecommunications
BME: TEF
Spain

According to its annual report filed with the SEC in 2020, "Some of our subsidiaries have entered into roaming agreements with Iranian telecommunication companies. Pursuant to such roaming agreements our subsidiaries’ customers are able to roam in the particular Iranian network (outbound roaming) and customers of such Iranian operators are able to roam in our relevant subsidiary’s network (inbound roaming). For outbound roaming, our subsidiaries pay the relevant Iranian operator roaming fees for use of its network by our customers, and for inbound roaming the Iranian operator pays the relevant subsidiary roaming fees for use of the respective network by its customers.

Our subsidiaries were party to the following roaming agreements with Iranian telecommunication companies in 2019:

(1)

Telefónica Móviles España S.A. (“TME”), our Spanish directly wholly-owned subsidiary, has respective roaming agreements with (i) Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran (“MTCI”), (ii) MTN Irancell (“Irancell”), (iii) Taliya (“Taliya”), and (iv) Telecommunication Kish Co (“TKC”). During 2019 TME recorded the following revenues related to these roaming agreements: (i) 67,273.13 euros from MTCI, (ii) 323.77 euros from Irancell, (iii) no revenues from Taliya, and (iv) no revenues from TKC.

 

Until December 31, 2019, TME also held a roaming hub through its 55% directly-owned subsidiary, Link2One, a.e.i.e. (“L2O”). Under the related agreement, L2O provided a roaming hub service to Irancell enabling the latter to maintain a relationship with other members of the hub. Some entities of the Telefónica Group were members of the hub. During 2019, L2O recorded revenues of 9,000.00 euros from Irancell. L2O terminated its agreement with Irancell on June 30, 2019. The roaming arrangement between TME and Irancell under the L2O framework was terminated on April 30, 2019.

(2) Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG (“TG)our German 69.22% indirectly-owned subsidiary, has respective roaming agreements with (i) MTCI and (ii) Irancell. During 2019 TG recorded the following revenues related to these roaming agreements; (i) no revenues from MTCI and (ii) 7,441.13 euros from Irancell.

(3) Telefónica UK Ltd (“TUK”), our English directly wholly-owned subsidiary, has a roaming agreement with Taliya. During 2019 TUK recorded no revenues from Taliya. Until April 30, 2019, TUK also had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework, which was terminated on such date. TUK recorded 314.54 euros in roaming revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(4) Telefónica Argentina, S.A. and Telefónica Móviles Argentina, S.A. (together TA”), our Argentinean directly and indirectly wholly-owned subsidiaries, had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019 TA recorded 0.89 euros in roaming revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(5) Telefônica Brasil S.A. (“TB”), our Brazilian 73.68% indirectly-owned subsidiary, has a roaming agreement with Irancell. During 2019, TB recorded 0.68 dollars in roaming revenues and had 169.11 dollars (before taxes and 184.32 dollars after taxes) of expenses payable to Irancell under this agreement.

(6) Pegaso PCS S.A. de C.V. (“PCS”), our Mexican directly wholly-owned subsidiary, has a roaming agreement with Irancell. During 2019 PCS recorded 9.33 euros in roaming revenues under this agreement.

 7) Telefónica del Perú, S.A.A. (“TdP”), our Peruvian 98.57% indirectly-owned subsidiary, had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019 TdP recorded no revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(8) Colombia Telecomunicaciones, S.A. ESP ("ColTel"), our Colombian 67.50% directly and indirectly-owned subsidiary, had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019, ColTel recorded no revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(9)Telefonía Celular de Nicaragua S.A. (“TN”), in respect of which we indirectly held a 60% stake until May 16, 2019 (the date on which we completed the sale of such stake), had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019, TN recorded no revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(10) Telefonica Móviles del Uruguay S.A. (“TMU”), our Uruguayan directly wholly-owned subsidiary, had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019 TMU recorded 0.24 euros in roaming revenues under such roaming arrangement.

(11)Telefónica Móviles Chile S.A. (“TCH”), our Chilean directly wholly-owned subsidiary, had a roaming arrangement with Irancell under the L2O framework that was terminated on April 30, 2019. During 2019 TCH recorded 4.94 euros in roaming revenues under such roaming arrangement.

The net profit recorded by our subsidiaries pursuant to these agreements and arrangements did not exceed the related revenues recorded thereunder.

The purpose of all of these agreements is to provide our customers with coverage in areas where we do not own networks. For this purpose, we intend to continue maintaining those agreements which are still outstanding.

The Group does not currently have any forthcoming plans to enter into new roaming arrangements with Iranian telecommunication companies. However, the Group may consider entering into such arrangements in the future."

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In 2019 Telefonica was removed from the Texas Comptroller List of Companies Engaging in Scrutinized Business Operations in Iran. 

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In 2018 Telefonica was listed on the Texas Pension Review Board List of Scrutinized Companies doing business in Iran pursuant to Chapter 807.054, Government Code.  
 

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In 2018 the U.S. state of Ohio listed Telefonica as an Iran restricted company rendering Telefonica ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.