MEXICO CITY (WiMAX Day). Mexico’s largest cable operator, Grupo Televisa SAB, announced during a press conference last week for its Q407 results, that it intends to bid for a WiMAX license when the government launches an auction for such frequencies later this year.

Televisa is the leading media company in Mexico, with interests in, amongst others, television production and broadcasting, pay-television networks, programming, direct-to-home satellite services, cable television and telecommunication services.

The company already offers voice services to some 40,000 customers. Adding WiMAX would allow Televisa to offer “triple-play” services, and compete in the telecommunications market dominated by Telmex.

The company does not lack wireless experience. Over the last year, Televisa has been building a Metro WiFi network in and around Mexico City, with some 400 locations thus far. The network primarily laces hotspots in hotels and public places.

While Televisa already has invested USD 1.2 million in its WiFi network, it does not expect that investment to be lost if it decides to build a WiMAX network. A company spokesman said that it would integrate its WiFI and WiMAX networks to offer maximum coverage.

In an  interview with Bloomberg Television last week, Ignacio Gallardo, CFO of Empresas Cablevision SAB, a Televisa subsidiary, said that “Part of our strategy is to enter the telecommunications business…. It’s a new market with new competitors.”

The Mexican government has stated that the auction of WiMAX licenses is intended to increase competition in the market, and the Federal Competition Commission (Cofeco) said it will follow the auction closely and analyse potential bidders to ensure a competitive auction.