Mexico: President has announced a tender for a national fibre backbone network on the electricity grid

[mexidata] n order to make telecommunications in Mexico more efficient, since they are a public asset that should be used for the benefit of all Mexicans, President Felipe Calderón announced a tender for dark fibers for voice, data and image transmission on available routes in the National Electric System of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

“We are literally creating the backbone that will transform telecommunications, expand coverage, speed up competition and facilitate convergence with enormous economic and social benefits for Mexicans," he declared.

In the central courtyard of the CFE Technological Museum, the Mexican President declared that his government's actions reflect its promotion of the development of telecommunications throughout the country, and constitutes a great step in this area by providing this new trunk network for specialized firms and users in Mexico.

“We are using concrete decisions and actions to create a more efficient telecommunications market, and we are also transporting Mexico to a better future, the telecommunications future," he declared.

Accompanied by Secretaries of Energy, Georgina Kessel Martínez, Communications and Transport, Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas, and CFE Director, Alfredo Elías Ayub, the President declared that a nation capable of mastering technology will also be able to control its destiny. To this end, over the next few months the country will have three trunk networks that will increase competition, coverage, quality and convergence in this sector.

He announced that the federal government will determine the conditions and forms of submitting tenders for dark fiber in conjunction with the Energy Secretariat and the CFE, in keeping with their integral communications policy.

Within a period of not more than 90 days, the Commission will establish the technical conditions for installing, operating and providing maintenance for lighting equipment and the repetition of this network, to guarantee the security of the National Electricity System and preserve the rights of workers at this institution.

President Calderón explained that through this new trunk network, measuring 21,000 km, Mexico will ensure competitive conditions for voice, data and image transmission over the next two decades.

He said that as prices enable more communities and households to connect to the Internet, the population will obtain access to new knowledge and more services.

“I am convinced that telecommunications and frequencies belong to the nation, and that the public assets and infrastructure belonging to state firms, such as the Federal Electricity Commission, are also public assets, as are frequencies, public infrastructure and telecommunications. It is the state's duty to maximize their efficiency, coverage, convergence and competition for the common good and to create public assets," he added.

Addressing an audience of telecommunications firms, the President listed the benefits of this trunk network, including the interconnection of health services, improved education, and easier access to the services government provides for the Mexican public.

Firms will also benefit, since telecommunications’ services will be cheaper due to increased competition while businesspersons will be able to offer their products more quickly and enhance the efficiency of their firms.

Presidency of the Republic - Mexico Takes Key Step in Telecommunications Sector