Canieti, a trade group which champions ICT adoption in Mexico, has predicted that a new operator –  hailing from Europe – will come to Mexico.

Canieti’s President, Victor Gutierrez, said a European firm was already in talks with Mexican partners (also headquartered in Europe) with a view to striking up an alliance.

Telefonica (Movistar), along with MVNO Virgin Mobile, are the only two operators present in Mexico with European links.

Gutierrez stressed, however, that the alliance was not directly related to the purchase of America Movil assets (to which AT&T has been linked).

The Mexican mobile market has been shaken up after America Movil recently announced its decision to reduce national market share below 50 per cent through the sale of assets. The move followed regulatory pressure from the Mexican government.

Billionaire Carlos Slim, who controls America Movil, told Reuters that operators with resources to compete with America Movil in its home market are unlikely to be Mexican.