Telecom Lead America: Mexico telecom market will add
112.3mn subscribers at the end of 2016, or 92.6 percent penetration. Broadband
subscriptions will increase to 28.2mn by 2016, or 23.25 percent penetration,
according to Research and Markets.
The research firm revealed that the Mexican market
reached mobile penetration of 87.5 percent in Q311, up from 86.5 percent
penetration in Q211. This was due to 1.172mn net additions being recorded. This
figure is lower than the net additions in Q211, but still shows there is robust
growth left in the Mexican mobile market.
In Q112, the credibility of regulator Cofetel was dealt a
number of blows. Firstly, its president, Mony de Swaan, was put under
investigation following claims that he awarded two contracts worth roughly
US$200,000 for businesses run by close friends.
Research and Markets said that there are mixed signs in
this quarter that regulators are improving competition. Telcel reached an
agreement with a selection of fixed-line and mobile operators to reduce interconnection
fees after it was declared a dominant player in the mobile market in November
2011.
The company announced it is to progressively lower
interconnection fees until 2014, when the rate will be around MXP0.24. This
marks a U-turn in attitude for Mexico’s largest mobile operator, which fiercely
contested the interconnection fee cuts implemented by regulator Cofetel in
Q111.
Last year, Pyramid Research predicted that the Mexican optic fiber market is expected to grow 10
times by 2015 and will be worth $3.6 billion.
editor@telecomlead.com
