AT&T to spend $3 Billion to cover 100 Million Mexicans with LTE by 2018

AT&T said it will spend $3 billion during the next four years to cover 100 million people in Mexico with LTE by the end of 2018. AT&T said the first phase of its LTE network buildout will be complete by the end of 2015 and will cover 40 million Mexicans, which the carrier said represents about one-third of the country's population. By the end of 2016, AT&T said it plans to cover 75 million people, or nearly two-thirds of the population.

According to GSMA Intelligence, the research unit of the GSMA trade association, only about 35 percent of POPs in Mexico were covered with LTE as of the first quarter of 2015. The firm said 95 percent of POPs were covered with 3G. Separately, AT&T also announced it will offer new plans to its existing Mexican customers "that take advantage of the company's North American Mobile Service Area." The carrier said the new plans will allow its Mexican customers to use their voice, data and text messaging services while in the United States. "Customers on these new plans will also be able to use their available community minutes to call friends and family in the US who are on the AT&T network," the carrier said. The operator also said it will offer Google Play billing in Mexico for Android smartphone users -- the service allows customers to purchase Android apps, books, movies, music and games and have the cost added to their monthly AT&T wireless bill.