Starting January 9, 2025, Mexico has implemented the Mobile Telephony Users Registry to link all phone lines to personal data and combat misuse, particularly in extortions. Users have until June 2026 to register online or in person, using documents like the biometric CURP, INE, or passport. Failure to do so will result in temporary suspension of the line, allowing only emergency calls.
The Mobile Telephony Users Registry in Mexico took effect on January 9, 2025, as part of a government plan to reduce extortion and eliminate anonymity in phone lines. According to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT), all mobile lines, including physical SIMs or eSIMs sold in stores like Oxxo, must be linked to a physical or legal person by the end of June 2026.
Ricardo Castañeda, director of Regulatory Policy at the CRT, explained in a radio interview: “The purpose is to eliminate the anonymity that exists in the vast majority of phone lines that are not linked to any user.” The guidelines, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, state that unregistered lines will be temporarily suspended, allowing only receipt of emergency alerts like earthquake warnings, calls to emergency numbers, and contact with the provider for registration. Numbers such as 074, 079, 088, 089, and 911 will remain operational during suspension.
For in-person registration, users must visit an authorized center of their provider (such as Telcel, AT&T, or Movistar) with a valid photo ID, like the INE credential, passport, or biometric CURP. A privacy notice will be reviewed in accordance with the Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties, identity and CURP will be validated against the National Population Registry, and a folio will be issued upon completion.
Online, company platforms include steps such as displaying terms and conditions, capturing the ID, a liveness test for the holder, CURP validation, and up to three attempts per line. Telcel activated its platform on January 7, 2025. For new SIMs, inserting the card triggers an SMS with a link for immediate registration.
Failure to register on time will prompt weekly reminders, but suspension will follow the deadline, without permanent loss of the number. This measure aims to enhance security in a country where mobile phones play a key role in crimes like extortion.
