Mexico’s Telecommunications Investment Promotion Agency (Promtel) and global communications company Viasat have agreed to establish a framework to foster the development of telecoms infrastructure, expand connectivity and strengthen coverage across the country.

Promtel and Viasat formalized an alliance that will allow both parties, in line with their respective roles, to partner on initiatives to close the digital divide and strengthen Mexico’s connectivity ecosystem. 

This will include knowledge transfer, the exchange of technical expertise and resources, the development of specialized content and collaboration on training programs.

The goal is to accelerate broadband deployment in underserved communities while supporting smaller telecommunications operators with infrastructure, technical expertise and digital inclusion initiatives.

“This agreement represents an opportunity to combine strengths and expand connectivity to more regions of Mexico,” said Héctor Rivero, country manager of Viasat México. “At Viasat, we are committed to supporting initiatives that boost infrastructure and generate significant benefits for communities.”

In a statement, Viasat said the joint effort highlights the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors with the goal of expanding access to telecommunications services in underserved communities, so as to contribute to Mexico’s social and economic development. 

According to the national statistics agency INEGI, nearly 24% of Mexico’s population lacks Internet access. Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute has estimated that achieving nationwide internet coverage would require an investment of approximately 30 billion pesos (US $1.73 billion).

Promtel recently began providing support to hundreds of smaller telecommunications providers through financing mechanisms and technical assistance under its National Strategy for Small Operators. 

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The partnership with Viasat complements these efforts by making satellite capacity available to small operators who then can provide broadband access to communities, primarily rural, where commercial coverage is limited. This helps overcome the lack of fiber or mobile networks which remain impractical due to geography or deployment costs.

The agreement will be valid until 2030, with the possibility of renewal.

Promtel is a decentralized Mexican government agency dedicated to the expansion of nationwide mobile and broadband coverage, especially by fostering rural internet access. It also oversees the deployment of the Red Compartida program (a major wholesale telecommunications project designed to expand mobile internet and phone coverage, lower service costs and boost market competition)

Viasat, Inc. — a provider of high-speed satellite broadband services and secure networking systems covering military and commercial markets — is based in Carlsbad, California.

With reports from El Economista and Mexico Business News