The Transformation of Urban Infrastructure: The New Telecommunications Law and the Undergrounding of Overhead Cabling in Mexico.

The recent reform of the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law, published on July 16, 2025, mandates concessionaires to progressively remove disused overhead cabling and bury it. This provision, outlined in article 126, seeks to bring order after years of uncontrolled accumulation and strengthen the country's technological capacity.

What is the undergrounding of overhead cabling?

Before delving into the provisions established in the reform to the now-called Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law (LMTR). 

The undergrounding of overhead cabling consists of relocating and burying conduits and cables that were previously strung on poles and elevated structures. This process involves the installation of underground ducts, inspection chambers, and splice sealing to ensure the integrity of the underground telecommunications infrastructure.

Article 126 of the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law.

Article 126 of the new Law obliges telecommunications service concessionaires to implement a progressive plan for the removal and undergrounding of inactive and obsolete cables, based on a technical and financial diagnosis that ensures efficiency without creating excessive burdens for companies.

The Federal Telecommunications Commission (IFT), which will soon be reconfigured, will be the authority responsible for defining the technical guidelines and overseeing compliance with this process throughout the national territory.

Urban and technological benefits

• Improve urban aesthetics and reduce visual pollution, eliminating the "cable jungle" that characterizes many neighborhoods in Mexico City and other cities.  
  
• Increase safety, minimizing the risk of accidents from faulty cables and short circuits.  
  
• Strengthen network resilience against natural phenomena, ensuring service continuity during earthquakes, heavy rains, or strong winds.  
  
• Optimize the efficiency of fiber optic infrastructures and digital services, promoting a more orderly and sustainable deployment.

Gradual implementation and supervision.

The Law came into force on July 17, 2025, the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation, but its full application is subject to the formal integration of the new Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT), the body that will replace the IFT. Until the CRT is legally constituted, the Law will be partially applied under the criteria of the previous legislation.

Once the CRT is established, it must issue the guidelines for the removal and undergrounding of overhead cabling. The deadline for publishing these guidelines is defined in the transitory articles of the Law. Based on these, concessionaires will have a period to submit to the CRT:  

• A technical and financial diagnosis of their overhead cabling network.  
• A program for the removal of inactive cable.  
• A construction plan for undergrounding active cabling.  
  

Incom's role in urban transformation

Incom offers a comprehensive portfolio that streamlines the undergrounding process and guarantees the quality of the new infrastructure. We have a complete range of solutions to accompany telecommunications companies in this transition: from underground ducts and installation accessories to inspection chambers and hermetic sealing systems for fiber optic splices.  

Our catalog covers materials from leading brands: FREMCO, POLYWATER, POLYMERICO, ICOPTIKS, ICOPLASTICK, RADIODETECTION, etc.; specialized technical advice and packages designed for large-scale projects. With Incom, your company will have the necessary support to comply with the new Law and optimize urban infrastructure efficiently and sustainably.

Conclusions

The new regulations not only redefine the urban landscape but also push the industry to adopt better engineering and planning practices. The accumulated experience in pilot projects, along with the support of reliable providers like Incom, will enable Mexico to advance towards safer, cleaner, and technologically competitive cities.