Mexico compiles comments on shared network

Mexican telecoms authorities have revealed details of comments they received from a public consultation on plans to tender a wholesale shared network that would use the 700MHz band.

At the end of August, the communications ministry (SCT) and telecom regulator IFT announced a delay in the publication of the requirements for the concession of the shared network, saying they needed more time to sift through the comments received.

In a statement, the authorities said the preliminary bidding rules for the network would be published this month. A document with general objectives regarding the network was published in July.

IFT said in a statement it had received comments from 39 industry players including operators, equipment manufacturers, and service and infrastructure providers. Some 54% came from Latin America, 23% from North America, 13% from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 5% from Asia-Pacific.

The majority of those that responded said they were interested in getting involved in just one area of the project. Some 42% expressed interest in the area of consulting, 26% in network building, 16% in providing services, 11% in equipment manufacturing and 5% in project investment.

The shared network will increase internet penetration in the country, especially among people below the poverty line, in addition to driving development of the country's economy, educational services, human rights and government.

The project, which was first proposed as part of the telecoms reform bill in 2013, has met with criticism from the private sector that highly values the 700MHz band for 4G services.

Building and running the US$10bn shared network has attracted interest from Alestra, Axtel,Totalplay,Telefónica, Huawei, Cisco, Ericsson and Nokia, among others.