Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The state’s Welfare Secretariat (Sebien) plans to enroll 6,000 new beneficiaries in the “Conecta Quintana Roo” program by the end of the year, aiming to reach a total of 50,000 users by the close of 2026.
The program provides free mobile connectivity to low-income residents in both urban and rural areas across the state’s 11 municipalities. Currently, about 44,000 people receive the benefit, according to Stalin Bello Rendón, deputy secretary of human development and program director.
The initiative is part of the New Agreement for Welfare and Development of Quintana Roo, promoted by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, which seeks to reduce the digital divide and ease household expenses.
Beneficiaries receive a SIM card with a monthly package that includes 15 gigabytes of data, 1,500 minutes for domestic and international calls (to the U.S. and Canada), and 1,000 text messages. The plan also offers unlimited access to WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter).
The free service saves each user an estimated 800 pesos (about $40) per month on commercial phone top-ups.
Under Sebien’s 2026 operating rules, the municipalities receiving the most devices are Benito Juárez (Cancún), Playa del Carmen in the north, and Othón P. Blanco (Chetumal) in the south, reflecting population density and demand.
Bello Rendón noted that female heads of household and homemakers are the most frequent applicants. The program also indirectly benefits school-age dependents, allowing primary, secondary, and high school students to access the internet for homework and school activities.
Registration for new beneficiaries remains open through the official digital system of the Welfare Secretariat and through in-person informational assemblies in vulnerable communities. Applicants must meet economic hardship criteria and provide a valid ID, CURP (unique population registry code), recent proof of address, and a compatible mobile phone for immediate SIM activation.
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