Mexico AWS (1.7 GHz to 2.1 GHz) 4G LTE Spectrum Auction Commences in January 2016

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute announced plans for an auction of

1.7 GHz to 2.1 GHz spectrum in the Advanced Wireless Services band. A total of 80 MHz of spectrum will be auctioned, for the purpose of supporting Long Term Evolution 4G networks.

The spectrum will be sold in eight national blocks of 10 MHz each (paired spectrum, 5 MHz down, 5 MHz up). For the upcoming AWS spectrum auction, the IFT plans to sell 5 MHz blocks of paired spectrum. Individual carriers will be allowed to bid for multiple blocks subject to a maximum amount of airwaves it can acquire.

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This portion of the spectrum will be divided into eight national blocks, three in the AWS-1 band (1.710-1.755, 2.110-2.155), three in AWS-3 bands 1755-1770 and 2155-2170 and two in the AWS-3 bands at 1770-1780 and 2170/2180 ranges.

There will be limits on the total amount of spectrum any single bidder can acquire, limiting total spectrum in any local market. That measure seems aimed at AT&T, which already has the most AWS spectrum, by virtue of its ownership of Grupo Iusacell and Nextel de Mexico.