The federal government of Mexico, through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT), announced the extension of the deadline for linking cell phone lines to the Clave Única de Registro de la Población (CURP) until December 31, 2026. The measure affects both prepaid and postpaid services, seeking to strengthen security and combat crimes such as fraud and extortion in the country.
Despite not using the term “extension” explicitly in the statement, the CRT released a new detailed schedule, establishing specific deadlines for registration according to the last digit of the cell phone number. The decision comes at a crucial time, with millions of lines still pending regularization.
New schedule for registering telephone lines
The extension of the deadline for registering cell lines with CURP was structured in a calendar that distributes the deadlines over the next few months, based on the final digit of each telephone number. This model aims to organize the process and avoid overloading operator systems, ensuring that all users have enough time to complete the connection.
Check the deadlines for each number end:
- Ending 0:August 15, 2026
- Ending 1:August 31, 2026
- Ending 2:September 15, 2026
- Final 3:September 30, 2026
- Final 4:October 15, 2026
- Final 5:October 31, 2026
- Final 6:November 15, 2026
- Final 7:November 30, 2026
- Final 8:December 15, 2026
- Final 9:December 31, 2026
Consequences of non-compliance with registration
Failure to connect the cell phone line to CURP within the deadline stipulated for each final digit will result in serious restrictions on services. Mobile phone companies are authorized to suspend service on irregular lines within 72 hours after the deadline has passed.
During the suspension period, users will only be able to make calls to emergency numbers, citizen assistance services and the telephone company itself. Reception of earthquake alerts, a critical service in Mexico, will also be maintained. However, all other services, such as common calls, sending messages and access to mobile data, will be blocked until the link is effective. After registration, the operator will restore all services normally.
Strategic reasons behind the identification requirement
The initiative to associate each telephone number with an official identification such as CURP is a fundamental security measure for the Mexican government. The main objective is to eradicate the anonymity that, for a long time, allowed criminals to use cell phones to commit crimes such as fraud, extortion and kidnapping, making traceability and action by authorities difficult.
Mexico was one of the few countries that still allowed the acquisition of cell phone chips without the need for formal identification. With this new regulation, the country aligns itself with an international practice already adopted by 166 nations, which recognize the importance of user identification for the prevention and investigation of digital and communication crimes. This change represents a significant advance in the country’s public security and telecommunications policy.
The current panorama of line registration in Mexico
To date, the Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT) has reported that the universe of cell lines in Mexico covers around 144 million. Of this total, approximately 63 million have already been linked to CURP, 40.2 million of which are prepaid lines and 22.8 million are postpaid.
This means that there are still around 81 million lines left to be registered with the main operators, such as Telcel, AT&T, Movistar and Altán Redes (which includes Virtual Mobile Operators such as Bait). The large number of pending numbers justifies the need for the extension and staggered schedule, seeking to ensure that all users comply with the requirement.
How to carry out the CURP linking process
The process of linking the cell phone line to CURP is not carried out directly by the government, but by the telephone companies themselves. The CRT emphasized that operators are responsible for associating the user’s name and CURP with the cell phone number, discarding any other data or image that may have been used during the initial registration process.
Users can check the status of their line and, if necessary, register on the websites or physical stores of their cell phone providers. It is important that even postpaid lines, which already require personal data in the contract, confirm that CURP is properly associated, as some may not have this specific data linked. In cases of crimes involving the use of a line, the competent authorities may request information from telephone companies, as provided for in the National Code of Criminal Procedures.