Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones

More benefits for the users of telecommunications services

• The new measures were imposed on Telmex and Telcel as they are determined to be preponderant economic agents
• Users will not pay for visiting user or roaming services when they are outside the local service or region in which they hired the service
• Telcel must deliver unlocked cell phones to subscribers under the prepaid scheme and postpaid scheme when equipment has been paid in full at the time of hiring the service

As a result of the various measures imposed by the Federal Telecommunications Institute to Telmex and Telcel, as they are determined to be preponderant economic agents in the telecommunications sector, both companies have the obligation to offer better conditions to their users when providing services.

These measures are intended to avoid that the competition in this sector is affected and that users benefit from a better service, such as:

• ROAMING. Telcel will cease charging for visiting user or roaming when its users use their own network, irrespective if they are located outside the local service or region in which they hire the service. For example, if a user who hired the service in Mexico City travels to Monterrey and makes a call to another user who is located in any other city in the country, the user will only pay the long distance rate, and no longer the roaming service. In that light, if this user calls a user who is located in Monterrey, the user will only pay local service rate. In the same case, if that user receives calls while in another city, service charges for the roaming service will not apply.

• UNLOCKING. All phones contracted under the prepaid scheme at Telcel must be delivered unlocked. If the contract is by lease (postpaid), unlocking will apply when the user covers the total cost of the equipment.

If the services were contracted before this April 6th, Telcel has 90 days thereafter to release the equipment, provided the owner has covered the full cost of the phone requested to be unlocked.

Unlocking is free in all cases, as long as the user requests it, and the user is not required to provide any documents. This process can be carried out at the service centers with the equipment only, and if technically feasible, unlocking can also be carried out remotely. Equipment which is reported as stolen cannot be unlocked.

• BILLING. Telcel must deliver invoices to its customers which detail the charge for telecommunications services received, and details of other goods or services other than telecommunications services. By doing so, the user can pay both charges independently, and if the user has fully paid the telecommunications service, the operator will not be able to interrupt the service, regardless of debts for goods or services that are not those of telecommunications.

Bills for postpaid service will include the information of the amount that the user will have to pay in the event that the user decides to cancel the contracted line early.

• TIE-IN SALES. The provision of a service cannot be conditioned to hiring another. For example, a user can hire broadband Internet service without having to purchase or have a local fixed telephone line.

• CANCELLATION. The terms that the user had at the time of contracting will be granted when cancelling the service, i.e., this process can be carried out at the contractor's express request by a telephone call. From the time of the end of the contract, no further charges can be made to the user.

The comprehensive document that contains all the measures imposed on Telmex and Telcel is available on the Institute website: www.ift.org.mx

The IFT will remain attentive of the preponderant economic agents' fulfillment of their obligations regarding telecommunications.