Register a Mexican number in your own name
Mexico's 2025 published mobile-line identification rules require each local line to be linked to a named holder. They say foreign individuals contracting a line may be identified by name, country of origin and passport number. The rules allow in-person or remote identity validation through the mobile provider. Telcel's customer instructions say foreigners use a valid passport or, where applicable, a temporary foreigner CURP. Bring the passport used to buy the line and use the operator's own portal or service centre rather than a registration link sent by an unknown message.
The regulator's current public registration page explains that an unlinked line can be suspended and service restored after registration. Telcel says a suspended line can still call listed emergency and public-assistance numbers, but it cannot provide ordinary mobile data until the identity step is complete. If an eSIM seems installed yet maps do not load, confirm registration status with the operator before changing phone settings repeatedly. The published deadline calendar applies to existing numbers by final digit; a visitor buying a new line should complete the required identity process as part of activation.
Telcel's Amigo eSIM is a local prepaid line
Telcel sells an Amigo prepaid eSIM through its online portal. Its instructions say to check the model against its compatibility list, choose an Amigo Sin Límite package, buy online and install the profile from instructions sent by email. The terms require an unlocked device compatible with both Telcel's network and eSIM. That is a separate check from Mexico's identity-linking step; buying a package does not excuse an unregistered number. Retain access to the email that receives the installation instructions, and avoid deleting the eSIM profile until you understand Telcel's replacement process.
Amigo Sin Límite packages can include use in Mexico, the United States and Canada, according to Telcel's current terms, but the detail depends on the selected package. Telcel says unused package data expires at the end of the validity period and that standard charges may apply after an allowance is consumed. Look at the current package screen for general data, any app-specific allowance and its end date. A social-app benefit is not the same as unrestricted data for maps, cloud backups or hotspot use. If crossing into Guatemala or Belize, do not extend the North American package wording to those countries without an explicit roaming term.
AT&T Go gives a clear app-based eSIM comparison
AT&T Mexico describes AT&T Go as a prepaid product available only on compatible eSIM phones, bought and renewed through the Mi AT&T app. At the time of checking, its page listed three 30-day options: 6.5 GB for 150 Mexican pesos, 10 GB for 200 pesos and 20 GB for 300 pesos. The operator says the packages include calls and text messages for Mexico and the United States as described in their terms. Verify the live checkout before purchase, including any identity step and whether the stated allowance is all general internet data.
The AT&T page also lists optional add-ons for internet, maps, music and video. An add-on tied to Google Maps or Waze is different from unrestricted data for another app, so compare the general allowance first. AT&T's terms say the phone must be technically compatible and within available coverage; an advertised eSIM package is not a network guarantee along every highway. The app route may save a shop visit if identity validation succeeds, but keep Wi-Fi available until the profile is installed and a test page opens on mobile data.
Check 4G and 5G by place, not by slogan
Mexico's former telecom regulator explains guaranteed coverage as an area where an operator must meet its mobile quality standards for the stated technology. Its guidance points users to maps broken down by operator and technology, while a separate 4G map uses measured, crowdsourced network data collected over a stated period. The measurement map warns that places with few users may not appear even when service exists. These are useful complementary views: one describes an operator's declared footprint, while the other reflects recorded 4G signals. Neither promises service in the exact room, road cutting or train carriage where you will be.
Check the route itself if you plan to leave Mexico City for a long coach journey, a coastal town or the Yucatán Peninsula. A plan's inclusion of 5G says little about a stop that only has 4G, and the handset must support the network's bands. Download accommodation details and offline maps before leaving stable Wi-Fi. If uninterrupted work data is essential, compare the networks underlying the available plans; two eSIMs connected to the same network do not add much resilience in a local outage.
Use airport Wi-Fi, then save onward transport details
Mexico City International Airport announced a free #AICM_FREE_WIFI network across both terminals in 2026. Its notice says users can connect with one click from public areas through the waiting lounges. That makes the airport a useful place to retrieve an eSIM email, complete an operator's identity step or download the first hotel address. Do not wait until a taxi is moving to find that an installation email, passport image or verification page was needed. Test the selected data line after leaving Wi-Fi but before leaving the terminal.
For a Yucatán trip, Tren Maya says round trips can be bought through its website, ticket counters, app, telephone line and WhatsApp. It also warns that a ticket covers the purchased segment and cannot be reused after getting off early. Mobile data can help check a new connection or contact support, but keep the booked route and reference offline before travelling between stations. If your operator package includes only selected social or map apps, its general data allowance is what matters for a ticketing website and email confirmation.
Check the border benefit separately from home roaming
Telcel's Amigo terms describe selected use in Mexico, the United States and Canada, while AT&T Go describes a Mexico and US package. Those are benefits of particular Mexican products, not a rule that a foreign home SIM gets free roaming in Mexico. Ask your home provider whether Mexico is included and what happens after its allowance is used. If the journey includes more countries, inspect every destination separately. A package for North America is not automatically a package for all of Central America or for in-flight and maritime service.
A dual-line phone can retain the home number for verification texts while another profile handles Mexican data. Save eSIM activation details, decide which line makes calls and disable unwanted data roaming on the home line. If registration fails, contact the operator while airport Wi-Fi still works.
Keep 911 reachable as a telephone call
Telcel's published package terms say calls to 911 and other emergency services are free within Mexico. Its line-registration page also says a line suspended for missing identity linkage can still make emergency calls, including 911. Do not mistake that for a guarantee that a data-only eSIM can dial a normal telephone number. Keep a voice-capable line available, check which SIM is selected for calls and store your accommodation address in an offline note so you can explain your location without waiting for a map to load.
A downloaded eSIM profile, a paid package and a registered local number are separate steps. Verify all three before leaving airport Wi-Fi.
Networks our Mexico plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Mexico, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- AT&T5G
- AT&T Mexico5G
- ClaroLTE
- Movistar5G
- Movistar Mexico4G
- Telcel5G
- TELCEL5G
- Telcel ClaroLTE
- Telcel Mexico4G
- Telefonica4G