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Mexico Presses Ahead With Mandatory Cell-Line Registration as Carriers Seek Delay and Lawmakers Demand Audits

User data remains with telecom companies, accessible to authorities only during formal criminal investigations.

Overview

  • The national registration launched on January 9, 2026, with a June 30 deadline; unregistered lines face service suspension starting July 1.
  • Each number must be linked to the actual user via CURP and an official ID, with validation handled by operators through document capture and a proof‑of‑life selfie.
  • The IFT’s regulatory policy chief said operators will not store copies of documents or biometric data, recording only that identity checks succeeded.
  • Telcel acknowledged a “technical vulnerability” in its portal early in the rollout, said it was corrected and reported no evidence of a data leak, prompting Morena to urge audits, stronger encryption, tighter access controls and possible sanctions for lapses.
  • Telecom firms asked for a postponement citing the scale of registering about 158 million lines—roughly 920,000 per day—while civil-society experts warn of likely side effects such as informal markets for pre‑activated SIMs.