Business · Companies · 4 hrs ago
América Móvil sees AT&T Mexico deal as chance to seek pay-TV approval
Televisa and Fintech Holdings plan to buy AT&T Mexico, a deal that still needs regulatory approval.
América Móvil, which owns Telmex and Telcel, expects Televisa to become a stronger rival in Mexico’s mobile market.
The company says the deal could give Telmex a new argument to offer pay TV, a service it is currently barred from providing.
Telmex’s restriction dates to 1990, and regulators have also imposed obligations on América Móvil because of its position in the telecom market.
Pay TV could let the company bundle more services for homes and businesses and compete with providers that already offer combined packages.
América Móvil says it will keep investing in its network, expanding 5G coverage and strengthening its sales operation.
The companies’ plans and the regulatory decision are still pending, and América Móvil says it will wait to see what its new rival does.
América Móvil hopes Telmex could offer pay television if regulators approve the sale of AT&T Mexico to Televisa and Fintech Holdings.
Telmex is currently barred from formally offering that service.
América Móvil chief executive Daniel Hajj said Televisa would become a strong competitor in mobile services after the acquisition.
The transaction could also give América Móvil new arguments for seeking regulatory changes, according to analysts cited by Expansión.
Telmex’s concession has barred it from distributing television signals since 1990.
- Who
- América Móvil, through its fixed-line subsidiary Telmex, and the prospective buyers of AT&T Mexico, Televisa and Fintech Holdings.
- What
- América Móvil hopes Telmex may be allowed to offer pay television if regulators approve the sale. Hajj also said Televisa would be a strong mobile competitor.
- When
- October 21, 2026. Regulatory approval of the sale was still pending.
- Where
- Mexico.
- Why
- A combined fixed- and mobile-service competitor could give América Móvil grounds to seek permission for Telmex to offer pay TV and argue for regulatory changes.
América Móvil
Regulatory restrictions on Telmex
Pay-TV authorization
América Móvil
América Móvil hopes Telmex can offer pay television if the AT&T Mexico sale is approved.
Regulatory restrictions on Telmex
Telmex is currently prohibited from formally offering pay television, and regulators have blocked its entry into the market for years.
Regulatory treatment
América Móvil
Analysts said the deal could support arguments for reviewing América Móvil’s regulatory obligations.
Regulatory restrictions on Telmex
América Móvil faces special obligations intended to limit risks from its position in the telecommunications market.
Telmex’s concession began barring it from distributing television signals.
Telmex began marketing video services such as Claro video and Netflix to its broadband customers.
The IFT rejected Telmex’s latest attempt to offer the service through Claro video.
América Móvil said it would wait for regulatory approval of the proposed AT&T Mexico sale before assessing its new rival’s plans.
- Proposed buyers
- Grupo Televisa and Fintech Holdings
- Telmex restriction
- Its concession bars it from distributing television signals
- Restriction began
- 1990
- Latest cited rejection
- IFT, January 2022
- Telmex video offerings
- Claro video and Netflix, marketed since 2019
3 sources
What people are saying
I think Televisa will also be a strong competitor.
We need to keep doing what we have done for a long time. We must have the best network, make good investments, expand 5G coverage and offer good-quality service.
The move undoubtedly opens an important space for analysis about whether it is time to make changes to América Móvil’s regulation, because Televisa will become a true provider of unified services, while Telmex and Telcel operate separately.
It will argue that it will now face a converged competitor backed by local capital and that Telcel’s market share has eroded from the levels it had in 2014, when the telecommunications reform came in.