Client Alert – Mexico Reforms its Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law – New agencies and additional regulatory burdens are created.

What Happened?

On July 16, 2025, the Mexican Government published the new Federal Law on Telecommunications and Broadcasting (LMTR), abrogating the 2014 law. The reform introduces a comprehensive digital governance framework focused on universal connectivity, social inclusion, and a major restructuring of Mexico’s telecommunications and broadcasting regulatory system.

 

Institutional Overhaul & Dual-Agency Risk

• The Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) is dissolved.
• The Agencia de Transformación Digital y Telecomunicaciones (ATDT) is now the policy-making authority.
• The Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT), under ATDT, regulates spectrum, licensing, infrastructure, and broadcasting, with power to approve tariffs and revoke concessions.
• Competition and market dominance oversight shifts to the National Antimonopoly Commission (CNA).

This bifurcated system introduces a “double-window” scenario: companies must secure separate technical approvals from the CRT and competition clearances from the CNA, increasing complexity and potential delays.

 

Universal Connectivity & Social Inclusion

• The reform positions digital access as a social right, prioritizing underserved and rural areas.
• Free spectrum concessions will be granted to indigenous, social, and afromexican community networks, allowing limited local advertising to sustain operations.
• Cultural and educational content quotas increase for broadcasters.
• A new ombudsperson is created to oversee private broadcasters, ensuring social responsibility and accessibility.

 

User Identification & Privacy Implications

• All mobile lines must now be linked to the national identity number (CURP) and include biometric data.
• This raises significant privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance challenges, requiring operators to strengthen data protection protocols and ensure alignment with the Federal Data Protection Law.

 

Spectrum Management, Auctions & 5G Roadmap

• Spectrum remains a national public resource; CRT manages the National Spectrum Program.
• Commercial spectrum will continue to be allocated through public auctions.
• Direct assignments are allowed for public, security, and community uses.
• A mandatory 5G spectrum auction plan must be presented within 180 days.
• Economic criteria are no longer the sole determinant in spectrum allocation—coverage, affordability, and innovation now carry equal or greater weight.
• The Ministry of Finance loses exclusive pricing power, limited to issuing non-binding opinions.
• The State reserves the right to directly provide services to end users and use spectrum for security without compensation.

 

Digital Platforms & Content Regulation

• Digital platforms are now explicitly regulated, with the possibility of temporary suspension under certain circumstances.
• Foreign government propaganda is prohibited on radio, television, and digital platforms, except for cultural or tourism purposes.
• Network neutrality is reaffirmed as a constitutional principle, guaranteeing non-discriminatory open interconnection across networks.

 

Implications by Player Type

Major Operators: Must redesign compliance to manage dual-agency processes and reassess auction strategies with social coverage weighting; increased data protection obligations.
Regional & Community Operators: New opportunities via free spectrum concessions and local advertising allowances.
State-Owned Players: Must now compete in auctions for commercial use, but can still access direct allocations for public or security purposes.
Digital Platforms: Must prepare for possible suspension orders and adapt to new content restrictions.
Investors & Infrastructure Providers: Increased need for robust due diligence on licensing, privacy, and compliance risks.

 

Practical Steps & Risk Mitigation

1. Establish dual-track workflows to handle CRT licensing and CNA competition reviews.
2. Reassess spectrum strategies to integrate coverage and innovation commitments.
3. Prepare for 5G auction participation; early engagement with CRT is critical.
4. Strengthen privacy and cybersecurity frameworks for CURP and biometric data obligations.
5. Review broadcasting and content operations for compliance with new quotas and ombudsperson oversight.
6. Negotiate infrastructure-sharing agreements to align with forthcoming mandatory rules.
7. Anticipate potential constitutional and investment arbitration challenges to state intervention powers.

 

Comparison Table: Old vs New Framework

 

Aspect	Old Framework (2014 Law)	New Framework (2025 Law)
Regulatory Authority	IFT handled spectrum, licensing, and competition in a single body.	Policy centralized in ATDT; CRT regulates technical aspects; CNA oversees competition.
Spectrum Allocation	Commercial spectrum granted via public auctions; SHCP controlled pricing.	Auctions remain; coverage and innovation prioritized; SHCP opinions no longer binding.
Community & Social Access	Limited direct assignments; strict conditions for social concessions.	Free concessions for indigenous, social, and afromexican groups; limited local advertising allowed.
User Identification	No biometric requirement; SIM registration limited.	Mandatory CURP and biometric data for all mobile lines; high compliance burden.
5G Planning	No specific statutory deadline for 5G planning.	Mandatory 5G auction plan within 180 days of law’s entry into force.
Digital Platforms	Minimal regulation; no suspension powers.	New oversight; possible temporary suspension; foreign propaganda restricted.
Network Neutrality	Principle recognized but with limited enforcement detail.	Explicitly reaffirmed as constitutional; mandatory open interconnection.
State-Owned Participation	Public entities often directly assigned spectrum.	State entities must compete for commercial use; may provide services directly without compensation for security uses.

 

For additional information, please contact:

Sergio Legorreta at [email protected] or Jair Bravo [email protected], with any questions or more specific situations.

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