Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones

The Federal Telecommunications Institute participates in the MWC 2014 in Barcelona

• Commissioner Adriana Labardini and Commissioner Fernando Borjón attend on behalf of IFT Plenary
• This is the most important international event for mobile telecommunications in the industry
• Commissioners Labardini and Borjón will participate in the Ministerial Program, the most important forum for the most influential public and private leaders of telecommunications at a global level
• Their participation in this event is aligned with the 2014 Annual Work Schedule objectives and responds to one of the high-priority projects; which is to position the Institute on the international scope

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) will be held from February 23th to 27th of 2014. This is the most important event for the mobile industry at a global level, as it is considered a catalyst for change and innovation. A working group from the Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) will attend, headed by commissioners Adriana Labardini and Fernando Borjón.

IFT commissioners will attend a full agenda that includes presentations, bilateral meetings with regulating bodies and ministries of communications representatives of high-priority countries for the discussion of better practices in regulatory matters, directly related to the decision making process of the Institute in the short and medium term.

Specifically, the Ministerial Program is of special note, forum which the most influential leaders of telecommunications in the world will attend to interchange points of view about the subjects of greater relevance that will affect the future of the mobile industry, as well as to explore new paradigms in public policies to manage networks and to facilitate investments.

State ministries and regulating authorities are invited to this forum, as well as leading representatives of international organizations and selected intergovernmental organizations, executives and directives of industry regulation for mobile telecommunications, including network operators, and suppliers.

The topics are the opportunities and challenges for the mobile industry in all markets, specific questions of regulation that give form to the mobile revolution will be examined and thematic workshops will be carried out where the interactive form will be discussed, aspects that can help governments take advantage of mobile technology for the development and economic growth of their respective countries.

Within the program that the Mexican delegation will carry out, the objective is to generate cooperation means with the regulators of different countries as well as areas of common influence in strategic subjects of the international agenda in the matter of mobile communications, to successfully obtain information and specialized knowledge for decision making in related subjects to their administration and efficient use of the radio spectrum, as well as to carry out investigation of norms or standards of equipment and systems, for the availability of the telecommunications services technologies and networks, among others.

As part of the agenda, the IFT commissioners, Adriana Labardini and Fernando Borjón will hold a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of countries such as: Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, the United States, India, Israel, Russia, and directors of companies and organizations worldwide as well.

This Tuesday, February 25th, the Federal Telecommunications Institute delegation held a bilateral meeting with the United States of America Federal Communications Commission (FCC) president Tom Wheeler, and Daniel Sepúlveda, Ambassador for Information Policy issues and International Communications of the Department of State. During this meeting the delegates dialogued on the importance of the Constitutional Reform for Telecommunications matters approved in Mexico.

Later, Commissioner Borjón delivered a keynote speech named “Towards an Universal Access of Broadband in Mexico. Government and industry roles for affordable mobile broadband”, in which he presented the context in the Constitutional Reform, the IFT impact, and the plans and the objective consequences of Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Mexico, particularly according to the accomplishment of an affordable mobile broadband for all country citizens.

This world congress was attended by the Mexican work group IFT general directors: Elizabeth Peña, Roberto Martínez and José Rojas, with the responsibility to follow up on the subjects derived from the bilateral meetings that the Commissioners held for the relevant technical units.

Today, they held bilateral meetings with government representatives of Israel, Spain and Brazil governments, and a working meeting with GSMA directors, to speak of viable public policies that promote the efficient development of the telecommunications sector.

Also, Commissioner Fernando Borjón participated in the Latin American Summit, which was attended by mobile telephony companies directors, as well as high level representatives of the region, to approach subjects such as the role of the government in support of development and long term health of the sector.

This panel discussed the common governments and industry interest for a sustainable mobile sector, as well as the role of the government to assure that mobile services will continue expanding and improving for citizens.

On Wednesday, February 26th, the delegation will visit the MWC expo and later attend to the Ericsson seminar on market and technology global tendencies.

Later, Commissioner Adriana Labardini will participate in a Governmental Round Table, hosted by Alcatel-Lucent, with Ambassador Daniel Sepúlveda participation, the US Department of State, the Rwanda Minister of Communications, the Ivory Coast Minister, the World Bank and the I.A.D.B Secretary General of the African Union of Telecommunications and representatives, to approach the subject “Challenges ahead in a hyper-connected world”.

IFT participation in MWC 2014 agrees with one of the established high-priority projects in the Annual Work Schedule for this year: to position the Institute in the international scope, which derives from one of its main objectives as an effective, impartial and transparent regulator and with better management practices.

 The full agenda for the work group can be seen at the following link: https://www.ift.org.mx/iftweb/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/AGENDA-General-P%C3%BAblica.pdf