Alexandra Borgeaud
Research expert covering cybersecurity and tech in Latin America
Get in touch with us nowThe unstoppable growth of the mobile segment
In general, mobile services have a significantly higher take-up than fixed-line services. For instance, in Mexico, there were more than 100 mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants as opposed to just under 20 fixed phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Mobile internet usage is strongly facilitated by the omnipresence of smartphones. In 2022, there were more than 138 million smartphones in use throughout the country. As a consequence, the number of mobile internet users in Mexico has been on the rise and is expected to exceed 115 million users by 2028.Familiar providers at the top
Telcel, owned by América Móvil, is not only a revenue powerhouse but also the most valuable Mexican brand. As a fixed-line phone service and broadband internet provider, Telcel’s revenues amounted to nearly 60 billion Mexican pesos at the end of 2022. Telcel is joined at the top by AT&T and Telefónica, which operates under the name of Movistar in Mexico. However, the Madrid-based service provider is not a direct competitor to Telcel and AT&T, as Movistar’s services are mainly focused on mobile phone services. Even so, Telcel remains the leading provider in the mobile market, accounting for a market share of more than 76 percent at the end of 2022. The three companies are also engaged in a race for 5G network deployment in Mexico. As of June 2023, there were three 5G networks deployed in Mexico, owned by Telcel, Movistar, and AT&T, respectively. Nevertheless, in addition to the delays caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the deployment of 5G in Mexico continues to face major infrastructure and economic challenges.
