The COVID-19 crisis also rethought the plans of Mexican operators. In March, the IFT (Federal Telecommunications Institute) suspended the auction of 600 MHz and 2.3 GHz frequencies scheduled for the second half. Arturo Robles, IFT commissioner, justified the decision to revise auction dates because "they cannot take place in the contingency." The measure postpones bidding for frequencies in the AWS and 2.5 GHz bands in different regions of the country.

Both the regulator and operators are committed to responding to pandemic emergencies. While the IFT is evaluating different actions to free up more spectrum, companies are focused on optimizing the capacity of networks, in order to cope with the increasing demand for entertainment, education and telecommuting.

At this time, company's priority plans do not appear to embark on an extraordinary investment, especially when the current uncertainty promises a future recession. But at the same time the market demands to accelerate the deployment of networks. Without certain perspectives on how the world will continue in coronavirus, having an excellent connection becomes a first necessity, not only for companies but also for the education sector, the State in general and also for most households.

In this ambivalence, the price of 3.5 GHz networks increased. What for operators was one of the ways to start the road to 5G became a mandatory step - and an opportunity - with no spectrum tender in sight. Thus, the frequencies that were devalued when MMDS TV lost ground to DTH and the promise of WiMax never materialized in a massive connectivity alternative now became the precious jewel for IMT-2020.

The IFT had already taken the first steps in that direction in September last year, when it facilitated the use of the 3.5 GHz band by renewing until 2040 the 50 MHz block concessions that Telmex, AT&T and Axtel had from the failed WiMax experience. Furthermore, the IFT allowed the exchange of frequencies between AT&T and Telmex and a change of bands for Axtel.

AT&T invested US$ 91 million in its 3.5 GHz network. With the arrival of Mónica Aspe to lead the Mexican subsidiary, AT&T redoubles its commitment to advance in the offer of convergent services. With 19.2 million customers, the company is still far from achieving its profitability goals. But it also remains the operator that retains high-value customers and the one with the most spectrum available.

In this way, more than 90% of the investment made in spectrum between 2019 and the first quarter of 2020 was for its 3.5 GHz network in the nine regions of the country where it has a presence, including Mexico City. AT&T also fulfilled the technical requirements imposed by the IFT and has the possibility of operating 112 MHz in the 7 GHz band; another 56 MHz in the 15 GHz band; plus 60 MHz in the 10 GHz spectrum; 100 MHz in the 21GH band and regional 112 MHz in the 37/38 GHz band.

Deployment in the 3.5 GHz band, where Telcel is already testing 3G, will be crucial to AT&T. América Móvil made a pass between its subsidiaries, with the approval of the IFT: Telmex ceded its licenses to Telcel at 3.5 GHz after obtaining the license extension for 20 years and separately agreeing with AT&T on the technical relocation of concessions to achieve an efficient use of this spectrum. Now, at 3.5 GHz, AT&T, Telcel and Axtel each have 16.67% of the allocated frequencies. The remaining 50% remains, another 150 MHz for a future tender that for now has no date, so América Móvil's move guarantees it at least parity conditions against AT&T.