Mexico's mandatory mobile registration meets legal challenges

Mexico's telecom regulator, the Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT), has required all mobile phone lines to be registered to a person’s name, a rule that took effect on 9 January and must be completed by 30 June 2026. The policy aims to curb crimes committed with anonymous phones, and companies risk service suspension for non‑registered lines, except for emergency calls.

A resident of Aguascalientes filed an indirect amparo on 10 February, arguing that linking phone numbers with personal and biometric data violates constitutional privacy rights and could expose users to data‑security risks, especially after a reported massive data leak affecting Telcel customers. The petition seeks to prevent two of his lines from being registered.

In Chihuahua, the State Federation of Lawyers' Colleges announced free legal assistance and template filings for citizens who wish to challenge the registration, citing concerns over privacy, potential misuse of personal data by artificial‑intelligence systems, and identity‑theft threats. Experts warn the growing registry—52.3 million lines, about 32 % of the country's 160 million active mobiles—could set precedents for digital‑rights litigation in Mexico.