Mexico telecom regulator extends prepaid line registration deadline

The Federal Telecommunications Regulator (CRT) in Mexico announced a deadline extension for prepaid mobile lines to be linked to the user's CURP. The rollout follows a calendar based on the last digit of each phone number, starting on 15 August for numbers ending in 0 and ending on 31 December for those ending in 9. After the assigned deadline, lines that remain unregistered will be limited to emergency calls for 72 hours; full service resumes once the line is linked.

The measure aims to eliminate anonymity that facilitates fraud and extortion, aligning Mexico with 166 other countries that require identification for mobile chips. To date, 63 million lines have been linked – 40.2 million prepaid and 22.8 million postpaid. Cyber‑security experts warn that number reassignment after a line is deactivated can expose previous owners to account recovery issues, as the same phone number may still be tied to banks, social media and other services.

The CRT stresses that the registration process is carried out by telecom companies, not the government, and that only name and CURP are attached to each line.