The Mexican market is one of the least penetrated in the region, with some of the highest
tariffs. This is the result of poor competition. However, new President Enrique Peña Nieto has made
tackling this a priority. Also, fourth largest operator Iusacell is to get a financial boost from its merger
with Televisa, which BMI hopes will improve competition.
Key Data
• In Q212 Cofetel revealed there were 95.6mn mobile subscribers in the country, making a
penetration rate of 85.6%.
• The fixed-line market recorded19.643mn lines in service at the end of April 2012 (19.750mn at
the end of Q112). The Q112 figure is higher than the Q411 figure, but April results fall below
Q411’s 19.68mn.
• Cofetel revealed there were more than 40.605mn internet users in Mexico at the end of 2011,
and 12.855mn internet subscriptions excluding 3G mobile subscriptions.
Risk/Reward Ratings
Mexico fell one place to fourth position in our Q412 ratings. This was due to deterioration in the Industry
Rewards score, which fell 5 points in the quarter. The Mexican market took a severe hit in Q411 when it
lost 3mn subscribers, and Q112 only managed to add 687,000 – in contrast, in the preceding eight
quarters, it had added more than 1mn subscribers per quarter, and growth of more than 2mn in Q410 and
Q111.
Key Trends & Developments
• In June 2012 Grupo Televisa and Iusacell accepted the conditions laid down by the country”s
competition regulator Cofeco. Televisa said last week that it had agreed to a series of conditions
imposed by Cofeco to let it buy 50 percent of Iusacell, a US$1.6bn deal.
• Movistar and Iusacell announced plans to share networks in a move aimed to boost their
competitiveness with América Móvil”s Telcel operations, which dominate the market.
• In May 2012, Cofeco revoked its US$1bn fine for mobile firm Telcel. The firm agreed to a list
of commitments aimed at ensuring it does not inhibit competition in the sector in future.
Mexico Telecommunications Industry
Published: September 2012 No. of Pages: 100 Price: US $ 1175
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 5
SWOT Analysis 6
Mexico Mobile Market SWOT … 6
Mexico Wireline Business Environment SWOT. 7
Mexico Political SWOT. 8
Mexico Economic SWOT .. 9
Mexico Business Environment SWOT . 10
Risk/Reward Ratings . 11
Latin America . 11
Table: Latin America Risk/Reward Ratings, Q412 . 13
Mexico 13
Industry Forecast Scenario … 15
Mobile . 15
ARPU .. 17
Fixed Line … 19
Internet … 21
Market Data Analysis 23
Mobile .. 23
Regional Perspective .. 23
Table: Mexico Mobile Market Regional Comparisons, 2011 … 23
Key Developments .. 24
Market Growth … 24
Market Shares . 25
Usage .. 27
MVNOs … 29
Networks . 29
Mobile Content … 30
Value-Added Services Timeline… 34
Mobile Contract Wins . 35
Mobile Operator Data 36
Regional Mobile Content Overview 40
Fixed Line 43
Regional Analysis … 45
Subscriber Types . 46
Long Distance . 47
Pay-TV And Triple-Play . 48
Internet 50
4G … 53
Industry Trends And Developments 55
Regulatory Developments . 59
Division Of Regulatory Responsibilities In Mexico. 59
Regulatory Developments … 64
Competitive Landscape 66
Mexico Telecommunications Report Q4 2012
© Business Monitor International Ltd Page 4
Company Monitor .. 67
Selected Latin America Developments 70
Operator Profiles … 72
Demographic Outlook … 89
Table: Mexico”s Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 (”000) 90
Table: Mexico”s Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 (% of total) 91
Table: Mexico”s Key Population Ratios, 1990-2020 … 92
Table: Mexico”s Rural And Urban Population, 1990-2020 . 92
Glossary Of Terms 93
Glossary Of Terms .. 93
BMI Methodology .. 95
How We Generate Our Industry Forecasts .. 95
Table: Key Indicators For Telecommunications Industry Forecasts 95
Telecoms Business Environment Ratings . 97
Risk/Reward Ratings Methodology . 97
Ratings System 97
Indicators 97
Table: Ratings Indicators … 98
Weighting 99
Table: Weighting Of Indicators .. 99
Sources … 99Table: Latin America Risk/Reward Ratings Q
Table: Mexico Mobile Market Regional Comparisons
Table: Mexico”s Population By Age Group (”)
Table: Mexico”s Population By Age Group (% of total)
Table: Mexico”s Key Population Ratios
Table: Mexico”s Rural And Urban Population
Table: Key Indicators For Telecommunications Industry Forecasts
Table: Ratings Indicators
Table: Weighting Of Indicators
