Mexico. Last Friday 29, at 3:00 p.m., the first step of the public tender stage to concession the use, exploitation and commercial exploitation of 257 radio frequencies concluded: 191 in the FM band and 66 in the AM band (IFT-4 Tender) for a period of 20 years, each of them. The process began on June 27.
As a result, 421 expressions of interest were received to participate in the tender, for which the interested parties submitted, through the Electronic System of Registration and Presentation of Offers (SERPO), the basic information required to be accredited as Interested parties in the process, having to use their electronic signature (FIEL or e-Firma), and received from the Institute the username, password and unique folio so that each Interested Party can continue with the process.
These results represent clear evidence of the broad market interest in having new stations and generating greater competition. The Interested Parties include 189 natural persons and 232 legal entities.
The next step of this first stage of the process will run from August 1 to 5 and consists of the reception, by the Institute, of all doubts and questions about the bidding bases and their appendices and annexes that the interested parties will send through the same SERPO. The answers will be published on the Institute's website on Friday, August 26. Those interested must submit to the Institute all the information and documentation corresponding to Appendices A and E and corresponding Annexes through SERPO between Monday, August 29 and Friday, September 9 of the current year.
The frequencies to be tendered correspond to the provisions of the Annual Program for the Use and Exploitation of Frequency Bands 2015 of the IFT (PABF-2015). The 191 FM frequencies are in the 88 to 106 MHz segment of the FM band, while the remaining 66 are in the 535 to 1605 kHz segment of the amplitude modulated band.
It is important to note that this tender will be carried out essentially in electronic form through the Tender Submission Procedure via the Internet, and that bids may only be submitted for the frequencies indicated in the certificate of participation of each interested party. These certificates will be delivered between January 25 and 27, 2017 to those who have met all the participation requirements.
It should also be recalled that during the public consultation on the draft tender rules, 28 entries were received from both stakeholders and members of the industry, whose comments, proposals and technically feasible opinions were considered.
With this tender, the IFT complies with the Law by promoting the efficient use of the radio spectrum, seeking the benefit of the user public, introducing new broadcasting services, promoting freedom of expression and access to information, and developing competition in the sector.
