Mexico: Decision over ‘Preponderant’ companies pushed back to 2017

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) has announced it will push back the date for releasing the results of the first Biannual Compliance Review for the Asymmetrical Restrictions it imposed on so-called ‘Preponderant Economic Agents’ (PEA) in broadcasting and telecommunications. The report, which mainly concerns Mexican behemoths Televisa (the dominant television broadcaster) and Telmex (part of the América Móvil conglomerate) was expected to be released this November. However, authorities now expect the release to happen early next year.

On March 2014, the IFT’s board declared América Móvil, Teléfonos de México, Teléfonos del Noroeste, Radiomóvil Dipsa, Grupo Carso, and Grupo Financiero Inbursa (all part of billionaire Carlos Slim’s business empire) as PEAs in the telecommunications sector, with a similar designation for Grupo Televisa and a handful of affiliates in the broadcasting market. The declaration was followed by a series of asymmetrical rules and restrictions intended to stimulate competition and freedom of choice for consumers. March 2016 marked two years since this resolution, with the biannual report expected to weigh in on the companies’ compliance.

IFT spokesmen have forewarned that the results of the report would not, under any circumstance, imply removing the label of PEA from the agents mentioned, but rather would be a simple tool for measuring the effectiveness of the restrictions, as well as the state of the specific sectors after two years of corrective measures.

Full Content: El Economista

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