With a population approaching 125 million and with relatively low broadband and mobile penetration, Mexico’s telecom sector retains significant potential for growth. The market is still dominated by the incumbent Telmex and by Grupo Televisa, which together retain about two thirds of subscribers overall. A regulator newly set up in 2013 has enforced measures aimed at removing barriers to foreign investment and at reducing the market share of these dominant operators. The reforms are helping to make Mexico’s telecom market more competitive. One result of competitive pressure is the decision of Telefónica Group to exit the Mexican telecoms market, a process which is being undertaken in stages which includes the sale of fibre assets, the migration of mobile subscribers to AT&T Mexico’s network and the return of spectrum concessions to the regulator. The Group sold units in Guatemala and El Salvador in March 2019.
In the fixed broadband sector significant changes are underway, with the main cable TV providers Megacable and Grupo Televisa widening their bundled services offerings, and with some important market consolidation. The fibre sector has shown particularly strong growth during the last two years as the key operators expand their network reach beyond the core densely urban areas.
The mobile market also continues to undergo considerable changes in the wake of regulatory efforts to curb the market dominance of Telcel. Although the MVNO segment has only a very small market share it continues to attract investment, and new players enter the market each year. A wholesale mobile network operating in the 700MHz band was set up in 2018 and will reach the vast majority of the population by 2025. Developments in 5G have been slow given the existing capacity of LTE, though the auction of spectrum in the 600MHz band (among the first globally) by late 2020 will stimulate the sector as operators launch services from 2021.
This report provides statistics and analyses on Mexico’s fixed-line market, as well as an overview of regulatory developments. The report also reviews the mobile market, including a range of statistical data as well as subscriber forecasts. In addition, the report covers the fixed and mobile broadband sectors, including an assessment of technological and regulatory developments.
BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.
On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.
Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.
The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.
Key developments:
Televisa launches services as an MVNO;
Telefónica returns 800MHz, 1900MHz and 2.5GHz licences to the regulator;
Hughes Network Systems begins delivering first of 4,000 Wi-Fi hotspots to serve rural areas;
Movistar and AT&T sign network sharing deal;
Regulator confirms 600MHz auction for end-2020;
Movistar to hand back spectrum concessions as it exits Mexican market;
América Móvil develops m-payment platform with banks;
Report update includes the regulator's market data report to June 2019, telcos' financial and operating data to Q1 2020, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, market developments.
Companies mentioned in this report:
América Móvil (Telcel, Telmex), Megacable, Cablemás, Cablevisión, Grupo Televisa, Maxcom, Sistemas Interactivos de Telecomunicaciones (SIT), Axtel, Megafón, InterCable, CFE, , AT&T Mexico (Iusacell, Nextel Mexico), Movistar (Telefónica Mexico), Globalstar, Unefón, Virgin Mobile, Weex, Alestra, Maxcom, Marcatel.
Key statistics
Regional Latin America Market Comparison
Telecom Maturity Index by tier
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
South America Telecom Maturity Index
Central America Telecom Maturity Index
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector
Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure
Telecommunications market
Historical overview
Market analysis
Telecoms reform
Regulatory environment
Regulatory authorities
Fixed-line developments
Privatisation
Deregulation
Foreign investment rules
Mobile network developments
Spectrum auctions
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Roaming
Telecom legislative reform
SIM card registration
Mobile market
Market analysis
Mobile statistics
General statistics
Mobile infrastructure
Digital networks
4G (LTE)
2G
Other infrastructure developments
Open networks
Satellite mobile
IoT
Mobile data
SMS and MMS
Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators
Telcel
Movistar
AT&T Mexico
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
Mobile content and applications
Mobile economy
Fixed-line broadband market
Market analysis and statistical overview
Government support
Municipal broadband
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies
Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services
Fixed network operators
Introduction
Telmex/América Móvil
Megacable
Grupo Televisa
Telecommunications infrastructure
Overview of the national telecom network
National network infrastructure developments
Smart infrastructure
Smart grid technology
Data centres
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports
List of Tables
Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Mexico – 2020 (e)
Table 2 – Change in the number of employed in the telecom sector – 2011 – 2019
Table 3 – Change in telecom sector’s contribution to GDP – 2009 – 2019
Table 4 – Share of telecom market revenue by sector – 2017- 2018
Table 5 – Change in telecom revenue and annual growth – 2009 - 2019
Table 6 – Development of fixed-line and mobile sector revenue – 2015 – 2018