Mexico mobile lines: 133 million still unregistered before July 2026

More than 133 million mobile lines in Mexico remained unlinked to the CURP population ID as of mid-May 2026, putting 82.5% of users at risk of service suspension after 30 June 2026, according to El Financiero as cited by Mobile World Live.

The Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) has ruled out any extension to the registration deadline despite the low compliance rate. The registration rule applies to all mobile subscribers in Mexico and requires the line holder to provide full name, a certified Clave Única de Registro de Población (CURP), and a valid official identity document such as an INE voter card or passport.

The current system entered into force on 9 January 2026. Mexican authorities say the measure is intended to build a reliable census of mobile users and support investigations into crimes including phone extortion, fraud, and virtual kidnapping by removing the anonymity historically associated with prepaid SIM cards. Unlike the earlier PANAUT scheme, which Mexico's Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in 2022, the current process does not collect biometric data such as fingerprints or iris scans.

Organizations have filed legal challenges against the rule, citing privacy and security risks. Concerns described in the report include possible surveillance of activists, journalists, and political opponents; the creation of high-value databases for cybercriminals; and the risk that stolen documents could be used to register lines in another person's name. The report also says 5% to 8% of the population lacks updated official identification, which could leave vulnerable communities and rural areas without service.

If users do not register by 30 June 2026, operators will suspend calling, messaging, and mobile data access, while keeping access to emergency services at 911. If the line is not regularized during the following grace period, the number will be cancelled permanently and any stored balance or active plan will be lost. Unregistered users will also be unable to port their number to another operator, and may lose access to banking or government services that use one-time password (OTP) codes sent by SMS.

The report estimates Mexico would need to register 1.75 million lines per day to meet the deadline. Mobile World Live said the telecom sector is already seeing customer losses and uncertainty ahead of the July 2026 cutoff.