Roberto Martínez, southern and central regional director for Canieti, has told BNamericas that the electronics, telecommunications and IT association regards WiMAX services as a key factor in improving the country’s broadband penetration rate. ‘Mobile broadband technology, such as WiMAX, is a much less costly option for the installation of telecoms infrastructure than a wired installation… [as much as] eight times less,’ Martínez said. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, Mexico had a broadband penetration of 3.2% at the end of 2006. Telecoms regulator Cofetel’s commissioner José Luis Peralta told BNamericas last week that the watchdog plans to start the auction process for concession licenses in the 3.4GHz-3.7GHz band for wireless broadband services in as little as two weeks.