Mexico CRT Public Consultation on Telecom Infrastructure Portal

Mexico: CRT Public Consultation on the National Digital Window for Telecom and Broadcasting Infrastructure Deployment

Mexico's Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT) has launched a public consultation on the draft Disposiciones Generales para la Sustanciación de Trámites para el Despliegue de Infraestructura mediante la Ventanilla Digital Nacional de Telecomunicaciones y Radiodifusión (General Provisions for the Processing of Procedures for the Deployment of Infrastructure through the National Digital Window for Telecommunications and Broadcasting, VDNTR).

The draft was approved by the CRT Plenum and published for comment in September 2026. The consultation runs for 20 business days and closes on October 20, 2026.

Regulatory Background

The CRT, which began operating in October 2025 as the successor to the former Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), has been advancing an administrative simplification agenda aligned with Mexico's National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures (Ley Nacional para Eliminar Trámites Burocráticos).

The VDNTR proposal addresses a long-standing obstacle to network expansion in Mexico: fragmented permitting. According to the diagnostic analysis accompanying the draft, deploying telecommunications infrastructure can require up to 20 state and municipal procedures and take roughly 1.4 years. The CRT estimates that simplifying and harmonizing these procedures could unlock around MXN 13 billion in additional infrastructure investment, while maintaining the current fragmentation could cost more than MXN 20 billion in lost investment.

Key Provisions of the Mexico CRT Public Consultation Draft

A single federal digital channel

The National Digital Window would act as the sole official channel for submitting, processing, tracking, notifying and resolving federal procedures related to the deployment, maintenance and removal of telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.

Single Digital File (Expediente Digital Único)

Each applicant would have a Single Digital File storing documents, actions, notifications and georeferenced files. Once information has been submitted, the CRT would not be able to request documents already in its possession again.

Three-tier deployment model

The draft classifies infrastructure works into three scales according to their urban and technical impact:

Scale	Procedure type	Maximum resolution time	Notes
Small scale	Notice	Immediate works may begin once the electronic acknowledgment is issued, provided requirements are met	A single notice may cover six months of activity within a declared geographic area
Medium scale	Permit	45 days	Subject to CRT review
Large scale	Permit	60 days	Local opinions (risk, urban development, structural safety, civil protection) may still be required where applicable law demands

Project-level filings

The proposal also allows integrated projects to be filed by route, polygon or region, rather than site by site.

Local authority powers preserved

The VDNTR centralizes federal telecom and broadcasting procedures only. Federal, state and municipal authorities retain their powers in areas outside telecommunications and broadcasting, meaning local land-use, construction and civil-protection requirements may still apply. Industry commentators have noted that coordination with states and municipalities remains the main challenge for the model's effectiveness.

Certification Impact Summary

Area	Impact	Comment
Equipment type approval / homologation	No direct change	The draft governs infrastructure deployment procedures, not product certification requirements or technical standards
Infrastructure deployment permits	High	New notice/permit model with fixed resolution deadlines replaces fragmented federal procedures
Filing channel	High	VDNTR becomes the exclusive federal channel; paper or alternative submissions would no longer apply for covered procedures
Documentation management	Medium	Single Digital File reduces duplicate submissions; applicants must keep georeferenced data accurate and current
Local (state/municipal) permits	Low / unchanged	Non-telecom local authorizations remain in force
Project timelines	Positive	Small-scale works can start immediately upon electronic acknowledgment; larger works have 45- and 60-day caps

What This Means for Manufacturers

For equipment manufacturers, the VDNTR does not alter homologation requirements: radio and telecom equipment placed on the Mexican market must still comply with applicable technical provisions and certification procedures. The impact is primarily indirect but commercially relevant:

• Faster network rollouts: Shorter, predictable permitting for operators and tower companies can accelerate demand for base stations, small cells, antennas, fiber and transmission equipment particularly relevant ahead of Mexico's planned 5G spectrum tender.

• Small-cell and densification opportunities: The notice-based regime for small-scale works lowers barriers to dense deployments, benefiting suppliers of compact radio units and outdoor equipment.

• Customer documentation needs: Operators filing through the VDNTR may request technical documentation, specifications or certification evidence from equipment suppliers to support their filings. Manufacturers should ensure homologation certificates and datasheets are current and readily available.

• Consultation participation: Manufacturers and industry associations with infrastructure product portfolios can submit comments to shape technical criteria that will be applied uniformly across the country.

  
  

Timeline and Required Actions

Timeline

Date	Milestone
September 2026	CRT Plenum approves submission of the draft to public consultation
September 23 – October 20, 2026	Public consultation period (20 business days)
After October 20, 2026	CRT reviews comments and prepares the final text
To be determined	Publication of final provisions in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF)
30 business days after DOF publication	Proposed entry into force; CRT must have the VDNTR operational. Some technological functionalities may be enabled gradually

Required Actions

For operators, tower companies and infrastructure providers:

1. Review the draft provisions on the CRT consultation portal before October 20, 2026.

2. Assess how current and planned projects map to the small-, medium- and large-scale categories.

3. Submit comments on thresholds, requirements and resolution timeframes where they affect deployment plans.

4. Prepare georeferenced data and project documentation for migration to the Single Digital File.

   
   

For equipment manufacturers:

1. Monitor the consultation outcome and final DOF publication.

2. Confirm that homologation certificates for infrastructure equipment sold in Mexico are valid and up to date.

3. Prepare to support operator customers with technical documentation required for VDNTR filings.

4. Consider submitting comments directly or through industry associations.