Background on CFE TEIT and Altán
CFE Telecommunications e Internet for All (CFE TEIT) is a joint venture between Mexico’s state-owned electric utility, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), and Altán, a telecommunications company. This partnership aims to provide affordable internet and telecommunication services to a broader audience.
Understanding Portability Numerical Rights
Portability numerical rights allow users to switch telecommunication service providers while retaining their existing phone numbers. Telecommunications companies employ this strategy to attract users from competitors and minimize customer loss to other service providers.
CFE TEIT’s Recent Performance
According to statistics on portability published by the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute, El Economista reported that CFE TEIT’s recent performance has been less than satisfactory. The number of users leaving CFE TEIT to join other providers while keeping their phone numbers has increased significantly.
- Between January and July 2024, 5,175 CFE TEIT users switched to other providers.
- In the equivalent period of 2025, this number rose to 25,815 users.
- In just July 2025, 6,219 CFE TEIT users decided to switch providers—more than the total number who left in the first seven months of 2024.
Reasons for User Dissatisfaction
The users’ decision to leave CFE TEIT is not driven by pricing, as CFE TEIT offers its services significantly cheaper than the three traditional providers: Telcel, AT&T, and Movistar. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using Altán’s capacity also complain that CFE TEIT is distorting the market by offering an unusually low-priced service, possibly due to a government decision to incur losses or Altán’s discriminatory treatment against other operators.
The primary reasons for user dissatisfaction are likely the poor internet access speeds and limited coverage provided by CFE TEIT. Users of all MVNOs using Altán’s capacity generally experience slow internet speeds.
Performance Comparisons
Independent measurements of broadband speed by companies like Ookla or nPerf consistently show Altán’s network performance lagging behind Telcel, AT&T, and Movistar. This indicates that CFE TEIT’s operation, in collaboration with Altán, will face increasing financial and operational challenges as they attempt to reach millions of unconnected Mexicans.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: Why are users leaving CFE TEIT despite its lower prices? A: Users are dissatisfied with the internet access speeds and coverage provided by CFE TEIT, which is offering services at an unusually low price, possibly due to government-induced losses or Altán’s discriminatory practices against other operators.
- Q: How does CFE TEIT’s performance compare to traditional telecom providers? A: CFE TEIT has seen a significant increase in users switching to other providers, with poor internet speeds and limited coverage being the primary reasons for dissatisfaction.
- Q: What challenges does CFE TEIT face in the future? A: CFE TEIT will encounter growing financial and operational difficulties as it attempts to expand its services to unconnected Mexican users, given the current performance issues and market distortions.
