CFE accelerated the installation of free Internet in 2023: ASF

Jessika Becerra

La Jornada NewspaperTuesday, February 25, 2025, p. 16

The Federal Electricity-Telecommunications and Internet for All Commission (CFE-TEIT) enabled 34,827 free access connections to the network of networks in 2023, and is 16.1 percent higher than the goal of 30 thousand accounts, according to the third and final installment of the report on the results of the superior audit of the public accounts of that year, indicated the Superior Audit of the Federation.

The public entity reported a cumulative progress of 97,838 connections from 2020 to 2023, equivalent to 69.9 percent of the 2025 goal of 140,000 connections.

In turn, in 2023, 2,225 public sites were opened out of a total of 70,776; that is, 3.1 percent.

In terms of the provision of mobility services, the state-owned energy company's division provided mobility accounts (mobile telephony and wireless broadband) to 143,664 users, and the target number is 50,000 beneficiaries in 2023.

In addition, it installed 147 telephone booths requested by municipal authorities. It confirmed that of the 139 municipalities served, 44.6 percent (62) have a very high and high marginalization index.

In terms of the efficiency of the use of resources, it paid 13 thousand 843.9 million pesos through six budget programs in 2022 and 2023. Spending increased from 5 thousand 476.5 million pesos to 13 thousand 843.9 million, while the number of users of activated mobility services increased from 6 thousand 361 to 143 thousand 664.

Regarding the participation of the shared network, CFE-TEIT marketed mobile telephony and wireless broadband to end users. The localities with such coverage, through commercial and/or government operators, totaled 3,913, representing 49.3 percent of the entities with CFE infrastructure for these telecommunication modalities.

Of the 7,943 locations covered, CFE-TEIT covered 3,913 (49.3 percent) and Telcel and Telefónica served 3,275 (41.2 percent). Altán, for its part, provided services to 755 locations (9.5 percent).

As for dark optical fiber (FOO), installations were made in 331 municipalities, thereby exceeding the 2023 goal by 47.1 percent (225 districts).

The result implies an 18.4 percent advance of the goal for 2025, which is 1,800 municipalities.

The agency managed eight current contracts with the same number of suppliers for the laying and commissioning of power lines in the 32 federal entities.

“The eight providers installed 5,252.3 kilometers of optical cable, equivalent to 4,667 geographic kilometers in 331 municipalities in 26 federal entities, benefiting 379 localities with a population of 26.8 million.

The ASF report shows that CFE-TEIT planned to have 2,542 telecommunications towers in operation by 2025.

In 2023, there were already 1,439 towers (60.5 percent or 2,377 structures), of which 85.5 percent corresponded to social coverage sites; 6.4 percent, to commercial operator service locations and 5.8 percent (84) to rural coverage points. Another 2.3 percent (33) are in municipal capitals.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada NewspaperTuesday, February 25, 2025, p. 16

A total of 148 companies are offering 50,486 jobs to compatriots returning from the United States, as part of the Mexico Te Abraza Program, reported the Business Coordinating Council (CCE).

The federal entity with the highest job offer is Nuevo León (7,379), followed by Jalisco (4,022), the State of Mexico (4,003), Mexico City (3,715), Guanajuato (2,781), Querétaro (2,693) and Coahuila (2,676).

In a statement, Francisco Cervantes Díaz, president of the CCE, thanked employers for their commitment to providing job offers and reported that returning Mexicans will be able to find out about available positions at various repatriation points through federal and local government agencies.

The organization stated that they continue to promote and disseminate the labor integration strategy and urged companies to join the project. We are sure that among the people who return we will find talent to fill important vacancies , it said.

Roberto Campa, director of corporate affairs at Femsa and coordinator of the business working group, stressed that the Mexican government is a fundamental part of this process of linking.