Starting in January 2026, mobile phone use in Mexico will change significantly. Thousands of users could lose service if they don't comply with a new mandatory requirement that will completely modify how phone lines are registered and managed in the country. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) approved a provision establishing a new identification system for all active mobile numbers.
According to this measure, the regulation will take effect
on January 9, 2026. From that date, everyone with a mobile phone line—whether
prepaid or on a postpaid plan—must formally register their number. Failure to
complete this procedure within the established deadlines will result in service
suspension, meaning users will be unable to make calls, send messages, or use
mobile data.
What is the official
reason for suspending phone lines?
The CRT (Telecommunications Regulatory Commission) approved
the Guidelines for Identifying Mobile Phone Lines with one central objective:
to combat crimes that have become recurrent in the country, especially
telephone extortion. This type of crime has shown alarming growth, to the point
of breaking recent records. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 5,887
victims were registered, according to official figures.
Authorities have also indicated that a considerable portion
of these extortion calls originate from prisons, a situation detected through
citizen complaints and investigations. The difficulty in identifying the true
perpetrators is largely due to the fact that many phone lines are not clearly
associated with a specific person.
One number, one
perpetrator
With this new registry, the government aims to ensure that
every phone number is linked to a real, fully identified owner. The intention
is that, in the event of a crime, authorities can more easily trace the origin
of calls, messages, or potential cyberattacks, thus strengthening their
investigative and prosecutorial capabilities.
In this context, mandatory mobile phone registration is
presented as a preventative and control tool intended to reduce the anonymous
use of cell phones for illicit purposes. For users, this will mean staying
informed, completing the registration process, and safeguarding their
information to avoid service suspension once the measure takes effect.
