| Telecommunications | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Telmex Retail Store inPuerto Vallarta | |
| Telephone land lines | 19.8 million (2011) |
| Mobile lines | 94.5 million (2011) |
| Telephone country code | + 52 |
| Internet Users | 31 million (2009) |
| Internet country code | .mx |
Mass media in Mexico, includingtelecommunications anddigital media, are regulated primarily by theSecretariat of Communications and Transportation (Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes, SCT) and the autonomousFederal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT), which replaced the formerFederal Commission of Telecommunications (Cofetel) in 2013. Mexico'stelecommunications market is among the largest inLatin America and underwent significantliberalization in the 1990s following the privatization of the state-owned monopolyTeléfonos de México (Telmex), acquired byCarlos Slim'sAmérica Móvil group in 1990.[1] Despite liberalization, Telmex continued to dominatefixed-line telecommunications andbroadband internet access sectors for decades. By 2023, its fixed broadband market share had declined from 51.7% in 2019 to 38.6%, reflecting growing competition from operators likeTotalplay,Megacable, andIzzi.[2]
Digital and mobile internet access has acceleratedmedia diversification, with over 90% of users accessing the internet viamobile devices as of 2024.[3]Social media platforms such asFacebook,Twitter, andTikTok have become primary sources ofnews andpolitical commentary, contributing tomedia pluralism and facilitatinginvestigative journalism andindependent reporting.[4] Nonetheless, challenges persist includingpolitical interference,disinformation campaigns, andurban-rural disparities in broadband access. In 2024, the IFT imposed a record fine of ₱1.78 billion pesos onTelcel formonopolistic practices before its powers were transferred to the newly createdAgency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications (ATDT), as part of controversial institutional reforms.[5]
Founded on 13 May 1891, as the Secretariat of Communications and Public Works, the SCT is divided into three subsecretariats: the Subsecretariat of Infrastructure, the Subsecretariat of Communications and the Subsecretariat of Transportation.
The SCT has ceded many of its regulatory functions to theFederal Telecommunications Institute.
Usage of radio, television and Internet in Mexico nowadays is prevalent.[6] The first television transmission in Mexico was conducted by Javier Stavoli in 1931.Guillermo González Camarena built his own monochromatic camera in 1934, and in 1940 he developed the first trichromatic system and obtained the first patent for color television in the world.[7] After developing radio and television stations, in 1948, he built the studio Gon-Cam, which was considered the best television system in the world in the time, according to survey conducted by the Columbia College of Chicago.[7]
With the passage of the century, the television broadcasting market became dominated by two powerful companies,Televisa—the largest Spanish media company in the Spanish-speaking world[8] — andTV Azteca, even though several dozen regional networks operate in the country. In addition, many states have their own television networks, and public television has increased its market penetration in recent years. In 2014 there were 1,762 radio stations and 1,063 separately licensed analog and digital television stations.[9]
In general, the telecommunications industry is mostly dominated byTelmex (Teléfonos de México) andAmérica Móvil.[10] The telecommunications industry was privatized in 1990 under the control ofGrupo Carso and since 1996 underCarlos Slim.[10] Telmex has diversified its operations by incorporatingInternet service andmobile telephony. It has also expanded its operations toColombia,Peru,Chile,Argentina,Brazil,Uruguay,Ecuador and theUnited States.[11] Due to Mexican diverseorography—the country is crossed by two high altitude mountain ranges extending from theRocky Mountains—providing landline telephone service at remote mountainous areas is expensive, and penetration of line-phones per capita is low compared to otherLatin American countries, with 20 million lines.[12]
Mobile telephony has the advantage of reaching all areas at a lower cost, due to reduced investments in required infrastructure, and the total number of mobile lines in Mexico is nearly five times that of landlines, with an estimated 95 million lines.[12] The telecommunications industry is regulated by the government through theFederal Telecommunications Institute (IFT,Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones).
In April 2009, theITESM (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey) reported 25,217,500 users; 78% of personal computer Internet access isbroadband access.,[13][14] ranking ninth in the world.[15] November 2019, Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica signed a deal to use some of AT&T's infrastructure in Mexico.[16]
The satellite system is domestic with 120 earth stations. There is also extensive microwave radio relay network and considerable use of fiber-optic and coaxial cable.[12]
Mexican satellites are operated bySatélites Mexicanos (Satmex), a leading private company in Latin America which services both North and South America.[17] Satmex offers broadcast, telephone, and telecommunication services to 37 countries in theAmericas, fromCanada toArgentina. Through business partnerships, Satmex provides high-speed connectivity to ISPs and Digital Broadcast Services.[18] The system is currently composed of three main satellites: Solidaridad 2, Satmex 5 and Satmex 6.
TheSecretariat of Communications and Transportation is also in the process of deploying theMexican Satellite System (MEXSAT), but a launch failure has postponed the project.
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