In order to be competitive in a competitive world, the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation is concentrating its efforts on bringing Mexican telecommunications infrastructure up to global standards.

The head of the nation’s Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, expects Mexican telecommunications infrastructure to be bolstered by an influx of US thirteen billion dollars over the course of the next three years. To this figure, the Mexican government is expected to add an additional US $7.5 billion to advance its “Red Compartida,” or “Shared Network,” project. Ruiz-Esparza recently noted that “in past two years the sector has seen foreign direct investment receipts of US $6.7 billion.

A “Shared Network” will strengthen Mexico’s telecommunications sector

The Secretariat of Communications and Transportation and the Federal Institute of Telecommunications recently announced that a wholesale shared telecommunications network would be built, with government assistance, by six principle manufacturers of telecommunication equipment. The impetus to build the Red Compartida was to reduce the domination of Mexican telecommunications infrastructure by AmericaMovil, which is owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. The successful completion of a shared mobile network is expected to result in increased service and better coverage, as well as a more competitive pricing structure.

International recognition for its efforts in telecom

As proof of progress in the area of the modernization and upgrade of Mexican telecommunications infrastructure, the country received international recognition at the recently held Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. An award was given to Mexico for its efforts in the area of “Governmental Leadership.” According to Monica Aspe, Mexico’s sub-secretary for telecommunications and transport, receipt of recognition in this area was a landmark telecommunications development in her country. She explained that, in the past, “European countries and China were almost solely the recipients of this award.” Mexico is increasingly being viewed positively for its efforts to bring its telecommunications networks and infrastructure up to global standards, and is now an important player in the world supply chain for manufactured equipment.

In this collective effort to bring Mexican telecommunications infrastructure up to international standards, the Mexican government will work in conjunction with a private watchdog group called Transparencia Mexicana (Mexican Transparency), as well as with Merrill Lynch to ensure that the bidding process for the project is both open and financially transparent.