Telefonica Moviles Mexico (Movistar) is enabling customers in several new regions of the market to access 4G services for the first time.
The operator has migrated 3.7 million subscribers – representing around 13.9% of its total base – onto AT&T’s Mexican network, and increasing its 4G coverage from 50% to 60% of Mexico’s population in the process.
Last November, Movistar and AT&T signed an agreement granting the former access to the latter’s nationwide 3G and 4G infrastructure, along with any access technologies yet to be deployed. The agreement affords AT&T no “visibility or influence” over Movistar’s operations, meaning the latter operator retains full control over every aspect of its business.
El Economista reports that the Operating Regions 1, 3 and 4 will be the first to switch over. These regions cover the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, and the towns of Ciudad Juarez, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo, Saltillo and Tijuana.
Additionally, TeleGeography notes that by the end of the year, the operator plans to expand its 4G coverage to La Paz, Los Cabos, Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta, Salamanca and Tepic.