Mexico: Confirms IFETEL-to-ATDT Transition Through New Telecommunications Law

Home Country Update Mexico: Confirms IFETEL-to-ATDT Transition Through New Telecommunications Law

July 18, 2025

Mexico has officially published a new Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (Official Gazette of the Federation) on July 16, 2025, formally establishing the legal framework for dissolving IFETEL and creating the new Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT). This decree represents an official reaffirmation that the Mexican government is proceeding with its planned institutional restructuring of telecommunications oversight, transferring IFETEL’s responsibilities to a new Telecommunications Regulatory Commission within the broader ATDT framework.

IFETEL Continues Operations Until New Commission is Established

The transitional provisions ensure IFETEL will continue operating under existing regulations until the new institutional structure is fully established. The Third Transitional Article specifically states: “Pending the establishment of the Plenary Session of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, pursuant to the Fourth Transitory Article of this Decree, the Federal Telecommunications Institute will continue to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law“. This ensures regulatory continuity during the transition period, with no specific cut-off date for IFETEL’s dissolution.

Transition Timing Depends on Commission Appointment Process

The timing hinges entirely on establishing the new Telecommunications Regulatory Commission. According to the Fourth Transitional Article, the Commission will be considered fully integrated once five Commissioner Persons are appointed and ratified by the Senate, with the Federal Executive required to designate a Commissioner President .The law also establishes staggered commissioner terms, with appointments concluding in the years 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, and 2032 respectively.

Different Suspension Periods for Regulatory Activities

The decree establishes different suspension periods during the transition, recognizing that some procedures are more critical than others. The Twentieth Transitional Article mandates that regulatory procedures will be “suspended for a period of fifteen working days” once the Commission’s Plenary is integrated. However, the law provides a crucial exception for equipment certification:

Critical Suspension Periods:

• General regulatory procedures: “suspenden por un plazo de quince días hábiles” (suspended for fifteen working days)

• Equipment homologation certificates: “El trámite de Solicitud de Certificado de Homologación de equipos estará sujeto a una suspensión de cinco días hábiles” (The procedure for Application for Homologation Certificate of equipment will be subject to a suspension of five working days)

Industry Impact and Next Steps

This institutional transformation moves Mexico from IFETEL’s independent regulatory model to a new framework integrating telecommunications oversight within the broader ATDT. The official publication provides concrete timelines and procedures, eliminating previous uncertainty about regulatory changes.

For telecommunications operators, equipment manufacturers, and service providers, the law offers both challenges and opportunities during the transition period. The success of this transformation will depend on the swift appointment and ratification of the new Commission members, as the entire timeline hinges on the establishment of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission’s Plenary Session, making the political process of commissioner selection the critical factor determining when Mexico’s new telecommunications regulatory era will officially begin.

For this article’s source information and any product certification guidance, please contact Global Validity.

Quick Country Facts

Mexico

Certification Body:

Current Name: Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT)
Previous Name: Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFETEL)

Certification Type: Mandatory

License Validity: Indefinite

Application Language: Spanish

Legal License Holder: Importer

In-Country Testing Requirement: In-Country Testing

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