Introduction to the CRT and its Role in Enhancing Connectivity
Marisol Nava, the General Director of Spectrum Licensing at the Mexican Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT), highlighted the tools available to her organization for improving connectivity. These include spectrum licensing, discounted payment of rights, and a national model for trades.
Plan Details: Three Spectrum Licensing Events in 2026
During a dialogue meeting in Querétaro, the CRT presented its 2026 Radioelectric Spectrum Licensing Plan. The plan aims to meet the demand for spectrum to connect industries, rural areas, and expand 5G mobile services. The events are scheduled as follows:
- First quarter: Dialogue sessions to gather requirements and determine if a different process is needed to address industry demands.
- Second quarter: Designing the licensing bases, public consultation, and publication of bases.
- Second half of the year: Conducting the licensing process.
Connectivity Challenges in Mexico
Nava revealed that there are 126,699 unconnected localities in Mexico, with nearly 31% (38,987) located in Chiapas (15,959), Veracruz (12,651), and Chihuahua (10,377). These localities are home to 8.3 million people, accounting for 6.6% of the population.
Additionally, 1.9 million people lack connectivity despite being less than four kilometers from an antenna. Meanwhile, 26 million people aged 14 and above have guaranteed 5G coverage, which is nearly 25% of the total population. The CRT seeks to increase this figure and create better-covered networks.
Querétaro: A Dynamic Region
Nava identified Querétaro as a dynamic state within Mexico, experiencing significant growth in data centers and technology sector development. The state ranks fifth in internet access and tenth in mobile telephony infrastructure.
Querétaro holds 5.5% of the nation’s industrial parks, making it the seventh-largest entity for this sector.
Seeking Feedback
Through dialogue sessions, the CRT aims to gather feedback for clarity on what to license and how. Ricardo Castañeda, the General Director of Regulatory Policy at CRT, emphasized that they have precedents of sectors accessing radioelectric spectrum.
Examples include mining, railways, manufacturing, and tourism. Castañeda explained that these cases have been for self-provision rather than commercial use, and the CRT is promoting a licensing process to sell commercial services tailored for specific industrial needs.
As part of this consultation process, the CRT has established a dialogue session calendar:
- Started in Mexico City
- January 22: Querétaro dialogue sessions began within Mexico
- To be replicated in Hermosillo, Mérida, Monterrey, Zapopan, Veracruz, and Tijuana
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the CRT’s role in improving connectivity? The CRT uses spectrum licensing, discounted rights payment, and a national trades model to enhance connectivity.
- What are the planned spectrum licensing events in 2026? Three events: gathering requirements and determining necessary processes (first quarter), designing licensing bases, public consultation, and publication (second quarter), and conducting the licensing process (second half of the year).
- What connectivity challenges does Mexico face? There are 126,699 unconnected localities with nearly 31% in Chiapas, Veracruz, and Chihuahua. 1.9 million people lack connectivity despite proximity to antennas, while 26 million have guaranteed 5G coverage.
- Why is Querétaro significant for the CRT? Querétaro is a dynamic state with growing data centers and technology sectors. It ranks fifth in internet access and tenth in mobile telephony infrastructure, with 5.5% of the nation’s industrial parks.
- What is the purpose of the dialogue sessions? The CRT seeks feedback on licensing specifics and processes to ensure clarity.
