Mexico Government Seeks Statements of Interest in Planned National Mobile Network

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MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s government has published a formal request for expressions of interest, or EOIs, from companies or consortiums interested in taking part in designing, financing, deploying, operating and marketing a wholesale shared mobile telecommunications network.

“This document constitutes the first step” in a project to install a shared network that will boost the population’s access to broadband service and cellular telephony, the Communications and Transportation Secretariat said in a statement Wednesday.

The project, which is aimed at providing an alternative to the network managed by dominant operator America Movil and boosting the competitiveness of rivals such as Spain’s Telefonica and AT&T unit Iusacell, is expected to require an investment outlay of roughly $10 billion.

Potential participants have until April 22 to submit their EOIs, which will be used in preparing the terms of an eventual international public bidding process.

In their EOIs, companies can make suggestions to the secretariat, provide information on lessons learned in similar projects, and convey their ideas regarding potential obstacles and possible solutions.

Mexico’s 2013 telecommunications overhaul establishes that the government, in coordination with the IFT regulator, must guarantee the installation of a public shared mobile network that promotes effective access to broadband communication and telecommunications services.

That network is to be deployed by a company or consortium that will be responsible for its design, financing, rollout, operation and marketing.

The overhaul allows up to 100 percent foreign investment in the shared network, and therefore the EOIs will also be a chance to evaluate the possible participation of domestic and foreign private companies and consortiums in the project.