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Mexico: IFT grants AT&T experimental 5G license

 |  January 29, 2019

The first license granted by the Federal Telecommunications Institute of Mexico for the deployment of a telecommunications network utilizing 5G technology has been provisionally granted to telephone operator AT&T, allowing it the opportunity to build and operate a network using the 3.4GHz spectrum for an experimental 6 month period.

AT&T intends to test infrastructure based on technology known as “Massive MIMO” in the municipalities of Azcapotzalo, Benito Juárez, Cuahutémoc and Miguel Hidalgo, in the heart of Mexico City. A block of 25 MHz bandwidth would be used to identify the opportunities and complications of launching new wireless products in Mexico based on this technology.

AT&T will also be able to identify how to take better advantage of the content and services portfolio that it will be able to offer following the multimillion-dollar deals made with other communication players, such as Time Warner, in its quest to dethrone Telcel as the number one mobile operator in the country.

According to the regulator’s documents, the license had a cost of only $10,725 pesos (US$560), in recognition of AT&T’s intentions an experimental. non-profit endeavor.

Full Content: El Economista

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