This is what the Internet was like in Mexico just 10 years ago. And it could be like this again with the controversial decision to end the IFT

If it is easy to forget what happened just a few months ago, trying to remember what we had five or ten years ago is a complicated exercise. In terms of the Internet, it is undeniable that the current scenario bears little or no resemblance to that of the past decade. In the case of Mexico, for example, it has been abysmal. That is why the news of the Possible end of the IFT.

The news. This week it was learned that the deputies of the Mexican government had made a historic decision in the Chamber. On August 23, some approved eliminating the Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT). Although the decision is not yet irrevocable (it must be passed to the Senate of the Republic), it points in that direction. According to a note in Expansión, the measure is justified under the argument that it is not a technical and impartial entity, but rather one that looks after private interests.

Not only that. The government has even claimed that “in several cases the objective of these organizations was to co-opt academic, political, economic and social representation centers,” such as The NGO Mexico Evaluates points out.

Perhaps for this reason, it is a good time to go back in time 10 years.

Internet a decade ago. The IFT was created in 2013. Until then, the “digital” scenario in Mexico was nothing like what it is now. Penetration and coverage was very low compared to other countries, and Most access was concentrated in urban areasIn addition, there was a digital divide between regions and socioeconomic groups, with high-speed access being limited and expensive, adopted by a small portion of the population.

The market was then dominated by a small number of companies, especially América Móvil (Telmex and Telcel). The result? Little competition, high rates, and variable service quality. This led to a lack of (more) competition, with little or no choice of providers.

Speed ​​and costs 10 years ago. Today we are used to the Internet being able to resolve any action in seconds, but before 2013, Internet speeds were slow compared to international standards. In addition, the existing infrastructure was not prepared to support rapid growth in demand for high-speed Internet services.

If we focus on price, the cost of Internet access in Mexico before the arrival of the IFT was basically high, which further limited its adoption among the population, especially among lower-income sectors. If we add to this the limited regulation (all by Cofetel) and an equally limited infrastructure, the use of the Internet at that time was rather basic, and mostly limited to essential activities such as email, web browsing and, to a lesser extent, e-commerce and social networks that were just beginning.

The arrival of the IFT. Everything changed in 2013 with the appearance of the Institute. It was a deep remodeling process with the Creation and regulation of the Telecommunications Market (Telcel and Telmex were restricted to limit their market dominance), competition was promoted in the telecommunications sector, innovation or New Technologies were encouraged with projects such as The Shared Network (public-private initiative to create a wholesale network to expand coverage and quality).

The IFT also promoted and encouraged connectivity in rural and marginalized areas, which was achieved a drop in the price of servicesadapted legislation to new technological realities and, in general, became a key player in transforming the telecommunications landscape in Mexico. Today’s map and the differences with the past in the sector are largely due to the Institute.

What happens if it disappears. After the Chamber of Deputies voted to eliminate the IFT, the organization has released a statement detailing that eliminating them will have implications in the market, with higher prices, less competition and one affected at the end of the tunnel: the users“This is a serious setback,” they explain, and call for dialogue before making any decision.

Among other things, the institute recalls all the changes that have occurred in telecommunications since its creation, stating that today Mexicans pay less for their Internet and telephone services compared to 2013, even despite the increase in inflation. It also highlights that all this means that there are more users in the country than in 2013. To be more exact, 51 million more people than eleven years agoAnd not only that, but the network is much faster, with a bandwidth that, on average, exceeds 50 Mbps.

The decision has not yet been made. We mentioned it at the beginning, even though the extinction of the IFT has already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies, it remains to be seen what will happen when it reaches the Senate of the Republic. If approved, the functions of the organization would be transferred to the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communication and Transport.

Meanwhile, prominent figures such as Jorge Bravo, media and telecommunications analyst and academic at UNAM, They criticize the decision to extinguish the Instituteanalyzing the movement as “a mortal blow to these institutions and a return to centralism, political control and opacity” and regretting that many citizens do not get to know about it or do not care, given that the public perception of these organizations is that “they are far removed from the real concerns of the people and that they operate in a technical limbo that few understand,” he concludes.

Image | Tobias SpitalerBob Mical

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