Ericsson Mexico

A journey through time

A history of exciting past, present and future

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#innovación #historia #tecnología

Ericsson, celebrating 120 years in Mexico, began in 1904 by managing Mexico City's telephone network. Over the years, the company played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s telecommunications landscape, including co-founding Telmex in 1947. Ericsson's innovations led the digital and mobile revolutions in the country, securing its leadership in the industry.

In 2024, as it marks this milestone anniversary, Ericsson's legacy is one of enduring partnership and technological progress.

1904 -1911: How it started

Ericsson entered Mexico in 1894, later securing a telephone network concession in 1904, and by 1920, had reached 13,000 subscribers, combining equipment manufacturing with service provision.

Mexico was the first country in which Ericsson decided to develop their Service Providers

In 1894, under the presidency of Porfirio Díaz, Telefonaktiebolaget L. M. Ericsson & Co. arrived in Mexico, marking the first country where Ericsson chose to develop Service Providers. It wasn't until 1904 that the company adopted the simplified name "Ericsson."

On December 30, 1904, Ericsson signed a contract to purchase the rights to a concession of Service Providers telephone network in Mexico.

Ericsson started to merge its initial role as an equipment manufacturer with that of a Service Provider.

In 1907, the Victoria Power Plant in downtown of the city came active. It is the first served as a repair shop, and later as a switchboard room.

In 1920 Ericsson reached 13,000 subscribers

Providing Service Providers was one of the few sources of decent employment for women.

Always at the forefront, Ericsson introduced Swedish policies of equal employment opportunity and established itself as one of the first sources of fairly paid employment for women.

500-point selectors were introduced to the country in 1926.

The same year, the first international long-distance call service with the U.S. and Canada was inaugurated.

By 1945, 123,000 lines were installed.

In 1947, President Miguel Alemán decreed that the two existing telephone networks be intertwined. Ericsson partnered with its competitor, leading to the creation of Teléfonos de México S.A. (Telmex).

1968 Olympic Games in Mexico

A factory opened in 1972 in Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, with 1,550 workers.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Tlalnepantla manufactured switchboards, long-distance equipment, power plants, private switches, telephone sets and printed circuit boards. 

Ericsson invested nearly $50 million in Mexico to modernize its factory in response to the opening of the Mexican economy to international competition. 

In 1984, Ericsson Mexico produced AXE plants and began exporting them a year later, as a result of become a production center for the Ericsson group globally.

In September 1985, Mexico experienced a devastating 8.1 magnitude earthquake.

Following the catastrophic event, Ericsson's executives, specialists, and technicians worked to restore telephone service in record time.

In the 1990s, Mexico witnessed the arrival of mobile telephony and the internet. To increase the density of telephone lines and meet the need for network modernization, 1,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables were installed.

Ericsson installed the first cellular network in 1989 and the first GSM network in 2001.

Following the privatization of Telmex and the arrival of new long-distance service providers, Ericsson stopped manufacturing and selling of telephones.

In 2002, Ericsson closed its manufacturing facilities in Tlalnepantla, shifting its focus towards supply and infrastructure.

2002 sets the arrival of 2G in Mexico thanks to Ericsson and Telcel.

In 2007, 3G technology arrived in Mexico under the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) standard.

By 2008, 3.5G was enabled, marking the first-time internet connections were available through mobile phones in Mexico.

In 2012, 4G technology was introduced, which completely revolutionized the meaning of mobile networks in the country.

Ericsson had more than 2,500 employees in Mexico, an antenna production plant in Tlaxcala, and serves all mobile service providers in the country.

In 2015, Ericsson had signed 70 contracts to operate 5G and 20 active networks globally.

The company was fully prepared to make this technology a reality in the country and help Mexico take a leap into the future

In 2016, Ericsson played a crucial role in modernizing and expanding 4G networks.

During the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ericsson implemented the Work from Home (WFH) program, enabling employees to work remotely during the health crisis. This initiative subsequently led to a permanent shift towards a hybrid work model.

In 2022, Ericsson, in collaboration with the country's leading service providers, launched 5G mobile radio technology in Mexico.

In 2022, Ericsson, together with the country's most important service providers, launches 5G mobile radio technology in Mexico.

In 2022, Ericsson Mexico became Great Place to Work® certified for the first time and today it is ranked among the Top 5 Best Workplaces™ in Mexico.

In 2024, Ericsson proudly inaugurated a new office in Mexico City, marked by a grand opening ceremony graced by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden. The new office underscores Ericsson's long-standing commitment to Mexico and its developing 5G landscape, while also serving as the Latin American North operations headquarters.

Ericsson Mexico

A history of exciting past, present and future

1904 -1911: How it started

1926 -1945: First steps

1947-1975: Competition

1975-1984: New challenges

1989-2003: New era

2003-2024: Moving to the future