The fifth generation of networks will allow the optimization of processes in industries such as mining, Health, education, among others, as well as transform the economy and increase productivity. To get to this point, telecommunications companies require robust investments for the spectrum Acquisition, but in Mexico this input remains one of the highest costs at the international level.
For next year there will be no update of the payment of annual rights for the spectrumthanks to the initiative that the IFT sent to the Chamber of Deputies, Aspe says that the measure is “insufficient”, but at least speaks of some sensitivity if one takes into account that for the deployment of 5G the infrastructure will be required 10 times more that you currently have.
In addition to the development of 5G, connectivity has become a cornerstone since the pandemic because several companies have continued their operations via home officewhile shopping on-line have also increased and entertainment through streaming demand better internet quality.
Totalplay has been one of the companies that has faced the new connectivity demands that users and companies demand. For this reason, since 2020 it has devoted a large part of its investment to increasing and improving its infrastructure, particularly optical fiber.
“Adversity turns into opportunities, we have redoubled investments during the pandemic and (Totalplay) was one of the groups that invested the most (…) one billion dollars, one of the largest investments because the amount of infrastructure (deployed) has been brutal and it is necessary in this normality,” said Héctor Nava, CEO of Totalplay Empresarial, during his participation in the Inter.Mx Expansión Summit 2022.
Challenges and opportunities to grow
AT&T and Totalplay agree that the pandemic forced companies to innovate and even modify work strategies, and it was also an opportunity to grow and improve their operations.
For example, says Mónica Aspe, the US-based telecommunications company had to adapt its telephony plans to the new economic reality of Mexicans, and therefore launched its strategy of phone plan customizationwhich have helped him increase his user base.
“At AT&T we had to innovate and be faster to adjust offers and services in times of the pandemic. Inflation, for example, we see personalized postpaid payment in different channels, new mobile applications and an internal transformation that can keep up with this rate of change”, says Aspe.
But challenges still persist, as pointed out by Héctor Nava, who assures that permissions for infrastructure deployment are still slow. Therefore, it is necessary to respect the regulatory framework to expand coverage in the country.
Aspe pointed out that he “would like to see decisive action by the Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT) to changing market circumstances and stop the flagrant anti-competitive practices that persist”, as well as lowering the cost of the spectrum, so that what is saved on that expense goes to investment in the new 5G technology.