Mexico. The Federal Institute of Telecommunications, IFT, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation the Annual Program for the Use and Exploitation of Frequency Bands 2019 (PABF), which aims to determine the spectrum frequency bands that will be the subject of a tender or that may be assigned directly to applicants for concessions for social or public use, for the next year.
For broadcasting services, a total of 41 radio frequencies for commercial use is contemplated, as well as the direct allocation of 31 radio frequencies and 11 television channels for social and public use. In the case of telecommunications, the PABF 2019 includes, among others, the tender for spectrum of band segments for mobile services such as telephony and broadband internet access.
For commercial use, 39 Radio Stations in Modulated Frequency (FM) will be made available to provide service in locations in Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Yucatán and Zacatecas; as well as two frequencies for Amplitude Modulated (AM) in Michoacán and Puebla. The tender for these frequencies would be carried out during the second half of 2019.
For concessions for social use, the PABF 2019 considers the assignment of 21 FM radio frequencies that will operate in localities of Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guerrero, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa and Sonora; and 3 AM radio stations in Michoacán, Puebla and Veracruz; while, for public use, 7 FM radio frequencies would be made available to cover locations in Campeche, Chihuahua, Durango, Guerrero and Nayarit.
Likewise, the submission of applications for the concession of frequency bands to provide telecommunications services for public and social use, as well as for private use (for experimental purposes, amateur radio, among others), including frequency bands not foreseen in the 2019 Program, is not subject to a specific deadline, so they may be submitted by the interested parties on any business day, in accordance with the schedule of work of the Institute.
For the telecommunications sector, the IFT will tender spectrum in the frequency bands 1755-1760/2155-2160 MHz and 2500-2530/2620-2650 MHz for wireless access services (mobile telephony and internet access); while for social use spectrum is contemplated in the band 824-849/869-894 MHz for mobile communication.
The PABF considers that the use of spectrum segments in concessions for social use will be available in the localities for which it is determined that there are operating conditions that do not cause harmful interference to other telecommunications networks or services, in accordance with the National Frequency Allocation Table (CNAF) in force and the applicable regulations.
