Starting this year, Mexican cellular operators will begin to phase out the provision of mobile Internet services using 2G technology, increasing the offer of 3G and 4G Internet services. The phase-out of 2G technology will be gradual and should not have a negative impact on existing consumers.
At the initial stage of the transition, the National Chamber of Electronics Industry, Telecommunications and Information Technology (Canieti) proposes to ban the import into the country of mobile devices operating only on 2G, and in addition to encourage the import and purchase by the population of more modern mobile devices.
The chamber estimates that there are now 27 million 2G Internet users in Mexico. 2G technology is considered obsolete because it does not provide a way to provide voice and video services at sufficient speed.
In the second quarter of 2018, there were 102.9 million smartphones in Mexico, which reaches 87.1% of all devices using the mobile Internet. Approximately 65% of the population uses mobile Internet, and Canieti plans to increase this figure to 80% in the short term.
Almost all mobile operators in Mexico now offer mobile Internet using 4G technology. At the same time, in 2018, AT&T surpassed Telcel in 4G coverage, and Movistar significantly improved Internet speeds and expanded its coverage. This makes it possible to painlessly abandon 2G Internet. A difficult issue remains the possibility of the population purchasing new mobile devices that support 4G technology, therefore Canieti proposes to stimulate the purchase of new devices through various preferential programs of cellular operators.