Mexican media conglomerate Grupo Televisa has confirmed speculation it is interested in bidding in the country’s auction of 3G spectrum later this year, reports Reuters. According to the report, Televisa plans to offer mobile services through its cable companies. Televisa owns Cablevision, Cablemas and Cablevision Monterrey, which recently teamed with Guadalajara-based Megacable to offer a low-priced video, fixed phone and Internet package, known as triple-play. “Some of these big media conglomerates may be doing triple play over their television networks, but really the icing on the cake would be to also provide mobility services,” Michael Minges, senior market analyst with consulting firm Telecommunications Management Group in Virginia, told Reuters.

Earlier this month Mexican bank Banamex estimated that the country’s upcoming 3G spectrum auctions could raise as much as US$1.5 billion. Regulator Cofetel is to auction off spectrum in the 1.7GHz and 1.9GHz bands. Of the four existing mobile operators in the country, Banamex said it expects market-leader Telcel (America Movil), second-placed Telefonica Moviles Mexico and fourth-placed player NII Holdings (Nextel) to bid for licenses. However, it said that the country’s third-placed player Iusacell is unlikely to participate as it is in debt-restructuring talks with creditors. Banamex said at the time of its report that Televisa was the most likely new entrant.