Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones

IFT publishes the Comparable Information of Mobile Phone Plans and Rates Report

• In addition, it offers mobile phone users an online tool that enables the comparison exercises quickly and easily between the main features of each mobile plan

The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) prepared the Comparable information of mobile phone plans and rates report, which contains the main findings from the analysis of the plans and rates offered by mobile phone concessionaires until May 31^st of 2015.

In post-pay modality the price or monthly rent, the number of short messages (SMS) and voice minutes and data included in each plan were analyzed. In the case of prepayment, the variables were the price per minute, price per SMS and the price per megabyte (MB).

These are some of the most important findings:

• Of the fourteen schemes identified in prepaid offer, in only three of them the user can access to lower rates for voice minutes when increasing the amount of recharge made in a period.
• Of the fourteen schemes identified in prepaid offer, in only two of them the user receives gift balances, reducing unit prices for voice minutes, SMS and MB depending on charging higher volumes.
• In prepaid mode offer, three concessionaires that offer more of a prepayment scheme and they determine in which prepayment scheme starts the new user were identified.
• In greater than or equal to 100 pesos reloads the cost per minute of voice may decrease between 41% and 50% in comparison with reloads under 100 pesos.
• In the postpaid plans, the analyzed offer shows that the user can purchase the plan with or without terminal equipment. When a plan with a terminal equipment is hired, the monthly fees increase and / or in some cases, the equipment charge may be discounted for early payment or direct payments on a credit card.
• In the postpaid plans, elements having a higher variation in the same price range are the voice minutes and the MB included. Meanwhile, in the same price range SMS included in the plans do not present a significant variation.
• In the postpaid modality, two concessionaires analyzed the effect persists club, moreover a concessionaire in all its plans offer voice minutes and unlimited SMS indiscriminately and finally, one offered in most of their plans, toll free numbers for the first 5 minutes or unlimited SMS sending.
• The concessionaires offer additional options to the users in some cases called "additional packages" in which a user may purchase for an additional fee and a given period, more voice minutes, SMS and / or data.

In addition to the report, the IFT designed a feedback mechanism for users through an online tool in which you can view and compare in detail, quickly and easily, features such as price or monthly rent, included minutes, SMS, MB, restrictions and additional options for postpaid and prepaid plans, this in order that the mobile phone users will have enough information when deciding about hiring a service.

The online tool of the information analyzed in the report and is constantly updated and improved, so a brief satisfaction survey is included and will help the IFT in perfecting this.

Derived from the integration of the report and according to the analysis by the IFT, the institutions that make available to users the comparable information of rates and plans, directly help them to make better informed decisions, which triggers a virtuous cycle information for users.

The presentation of the data contained in the Report as well as the tool, is strictly for information purposes and may be consulted on the site www.ift.org.mx in the section "Usuarios y audiencias" in accordance with the policies of open data.

The IFT will publish different reports with comparable information which will allow users to identify useful information in a timely manner and help them to recognize the main changes in the rates and plans offered by operators over time.