21 events that shook the digital world

I wish my readers a very Merry Christmas. I leave you the 21 events that shook the digital, telecommunications and technology sectors in Mexico and the world in 2021.

1. 12/17. The Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) installed the 5G Technical Committee as a consultative and non-binding body with six working groups: 1) spectrum allocation for 5G, 2) infrastructure deployment and availability, 3) applications, services and use cases , 4) regulatory aspects, 5) cybersecurity and 6) 5G experimentation and testing.
2. 12/15. Claudia Sheinbaum, Head of Government of the CDMX, imposed a 2% tax on merchandise and food delivery platforms that will affect delivery people, users and damage electronic commerce, despite the fact that these companies have contributed to the economic recovery, the generation of income, the digitization of SMEs and the preservation of businesses.
3. 11/25. The Puebla Congress approved the new Transportation Law that monitors drivers and users, authorizes access to the technologies and systems of digital platforms, regulates rates, schedules and travel frequencies and even orders inspections in the homes of the drivers of the apps Of transport.
4. 11/22. President AMLO decreed that the execution of projects and works by the federal government, associated with communications and telecommunications infrastructure (and 12 other activities, including tourism), are in the public interest and national security. The agreement violates the right and access to information; on December 14 it was suspended by the Supreme Court in terms of transparency.
5. 5/11. The IFT tendered 41 portions of spectrum, but only obtained offers from AT&T and Telcel for three blocks, due to the high cost of spectrum established by the Federal Rights Law.
6. 10/20. The SCJN suspended the National Register of Mobile Telephone Users, which violates various fundamental rights.
7. 10/17. Five years since the broadcasting of Imagen Televisión began, which opened the open TV market in Mexico, until then controlled by Televisa-TV Azteca, which controlled 88% of commercial frequencies and 95% of the audience.
8. 4/10. Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram were interrupted for more than six hours due to “a faulty configuration change.” The impact opened various debates about the control, power and use of these apps. On October 28, Facebook changed its name to Meta.
9. 30/9. The IMSS and the platforms Beat, DiDi, Rappi and Uber signed an agreement that recognizes the importance and benefits of the collaborative economy and the need for drivers and delivery people to have information and access social security.
10. 27/9. The SCJN invalidated the express modification without prior discussion that five IFT commissioners made to its Organic Statute to prevent its President, Adolfo Cuevas, from appointing and removing the regulator’s unit heads, coordinators and general directors.
11. 6/9. After almost three years, the National Digital Strategy 2021-2024 was published with two axes: Digital Policy to transform the Federal Public Administration through ICT and Digital Social Policy to increase Internet coverage.
12. 6/8. The IFT resolved that Telmex-Telnor’s wholesale companies will have tariff freedom in 52 municipalities, because Telmex no longer has more than a 50% market share in fixed broadband (45.6%) and telephony (49.4%) services.
13. 7/29. The protocols and technical guidelines for the formation, development, modernization and updating of the National Integrated Radio Network (RINR) were published. This network of mission-critical technologies and communications will facilitate the coordination of the public security institutions of the three levels of government. It replaces the National Radio Communication Network (RNR) created in 1999.
14. 7/13. Altán Redes, which operates the Red Compartida, reported that it started a commercial bankruptcy. Among its creditors are Huawei, Nokia, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).
15. 28/6. The IFT approved the Internet traffic management guidelines, better known as “net neutrality”. The regulator withdrew the attempt to censor and affect freedom of expression from the original guidelines.
16. 11/6. Fox Sports was acquired by the Lauman Group, 27 months after the IFT conditionally approved the concentration of The Walt Disney and Twenty-First Century Fox for 71.3 billion dollars.
17. 1/6. The Olympia Law was published, which modifies the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free of Violence. It typifies, prevents and punishes digital and media violence.
18. 12/5. The SCJN ordered the Congress of the Union to repeal the counter-reform regarding the rights of audiences and returned to the IFT the authority to issue guidelines and protect those rights.
19. 4/13. Televisa-Univision was announced. The Mexican and US broadcasters of Spanish content merged their media, content and production assets to create a new streaming platform that will serve a potential audience of 650 million Latin Americans.
20. 2/16. Senator Ricardo Monreal (Morena) proposed in his initiative of the Federal Law on Cinematography and Audiovisual a 15% quota for video streaming platforms to incorporate national cinematographic and audiovisual productions. On February 8, he also proposed regulating social networks in terms of freedom of expression and asking the IFT for authorization to operate in Mexico. None have prospered.
21. 4/1. WhatsApp announced changes in its “Terms of Service” and in its “Privacy Policy” to request and share data and information of its users with Facebook. The ad caused a stir and was temporarily suspended.

Twitter: @beltmondi

President of the Mexican Association for the Right to Information (Amedi)

In communication

Media and telecommunications analyst and academic at UNAM. Study the media, new technologies, telecommunications, political communication and journalism. He is the author of the book The media presidentialism. Media and power during the government of Vicente Fox.