1.  What is the state of 5G deployment in your country?
  2.  Has 5G been launched for industrial purposes? For which sectors?
  3.  What is being done to ensure that a wide range of operators and industrial companies, from small to large, have access to frequencies? Are such frequencies accessible to stadiums, airports and other special premises?
  4.  What public tenders have awarded spectrum licences?
    1. What were the criteria for awarding each of the tenders?
    2. What are the conditions of the spectrum licence?
    3. What is the price and how is it calculated?
  5.  Is there a long-term spectrum plan or announcements for future tenders?
  6. If 5G specific rules are drafted, what do they say?
  8. What are or will be the rules for granting competitors access to new 5G networks once they are deployed?
  9.  What comments have been made regarding 5G cybersecurity and possible use of Chinese technology, including regulation?
  10. Is there any project regarding 6G in your jurisdiction?

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Mexico
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1. What is the state of 5G deployment in your country?

Major local services providers are already offering 5G in some cities.

On 7 October 2021, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) created the Technical Committee for the deployment of 5G (Statement 84/2021) in order to identify and facilitate the testing of 5G technologies, as well as the interaction between the IFT, the industry, the academy, public entities, and any other interested parties, to present current and future 5G needs, strategies, foresight and studies.

In 2022, the IFT confirmed that the 5G spectrum auction would take place that year, but in September pushed this back to 2023.

As of December 2022, the IFT, through its Annual Programme for the Use and Exploitation of Frequency Bands 2023, has confirmed that it will make available up to 7,750 MHz of millimetre-wave spectrum next year for 5G deployment.

In 2024, 5G is available in almost half the 31 states of Mexico, in which Telcel is the predominant actor throughout the existing 4G frequencies.  

While 5G is being rolled out in Mexico, the focus is currently on Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G. This means that the initial 5G deployments rely on the existing 4G LTE core network infrastructure.

2. Has 5G been launched for industrial purposes? For which sectors?

5G has been launched for industrial purposes in Mexico. Early adopters include sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and automotive industries.

3. What is being done to ensure that a wide range of operators and industrial companies, from small to large, have access to frequencies? Are such frequencies accessible to stadiums, airports and other special premises?

IFT had the intention to carry out a 5G tender to increase use and competitivity on this sector and technologies.

In general, spectrum licences for commercial use are granted exclusively through public tenders. Any party that meets the criteria for a given tender is able to participate, and the IFT must consider all qualifying bids.

Such licenses are provided for use, enjoy or exploit frequency bands of the radio spectrum.

Depending on the carrier (Telcel, AT&T, Movistar), frequencies are accessible in major cities, to stadiums, airports and other special premises through the general spectrum frequencies in the same way that 4G network frequencies are available.

4. What public tenders have awarded spectrum licences?

4.1 What were the criteria for awarding each of the tenders?

4.2 What are the conditions of the spectrum licence?

4.3 What is the price and how is it calculated?

  • In May 2024, IFT launched a public consult   for carrying out a public tender for granting the use, utilization, and commercial exploitation of various segments of radio spectrum available for the provision of Wireless Access services (Tender No. IFT-12), including 5G spectrum.
  • On January 16, 2025, the IFT cancelled the IFT-12 tender. The reasons provided for the such cancellation by the IFT were:
  1. Lack of Resources: IFT cited insufficient resources to manage the tender under IFT's terms.
  2. IFT Dissolution: Upcoming IFT dissolution created uncertainty about long-term management of the tender.
  3. Legal Certainty: Cancellation ensured legal and regulatory clarity, avoiding potential complications.

No additional information with regards to rolling out a new tender has been provided.

5. Is there a long-term spectrum plan or announcements for future tenders?

According to the public consult referred to above, the IFT’s intention was to start the corresponding tender in September 2024 and provide awards on 2025.

With the cancellation of the tender, no additional information is available yet.

6. If 5G specific rules are drafted, what do they say?

To date, no 5G regulatory framework exists.

7. Are 5G network sharing or spectrum sharing agreements in place?

No 5G network sharing or spectrum sharing agreements have been made public yet.

8. What are or will be the rules for granting competitors access to new 5G networks once they are deployed?

The rules have not yet been established.

However, for general networks, each year the IFT publishes the Minimum Technical Conditions for interconnection between concessionaires that operate public telecommunications networks. These apply to all concessionaires operating public telecommunications networks that are interested in interconnection agreements with other networks.

9. What comments have been made regarding 5G cybersecurity and possible use of Chinese technology, including regulation?

While there have been concerns and assumptions among users, regulators and legislators that 5G could represent an additional risk for cyberattacks, the government has to date not made any statement or comment.

10. Is there any project regarding 6G in your jurisdiction?

No projects are envisioned in the short term yet.