Michoacán kicks off the 2026-2027 school year with a legal milestone: internet access is now a constitutional right in the state. The D4TA program, which provides free mobile data to high school and public university students, launched this week as the first student connectivity policy backed by a state constitutional amendment in Mexico.
On July 14, 2026, the Michoacán Congress approved a reform to Article 139 of the state constitution, championed by Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla. The reform recognizes access to digital connectivity as a right and obligates the state to guarantee an individualized, continuous and sufficient service, according to Changoonga. Representative Hugo Rangel, of the Partido del Trabajo, noted that the measure positions Michoacán "at the forefront of digital rights recognition." With this legal protection in place, the D4TA program (Data para Todas y Todos) ceases to be a temporary government intervention and becomes state policy. The Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) donates the SIM cards; the state government pays for the lines.
The D4TA program provides each student with 4 GB of monthly data, plus unlimited calls, messages and social media, valid throughout the semester upon confirmation of enrollment at a public institution, according to Quadratín. For higher education, registration opens August 3 through 28, with SIM card distribution running September 7 through 30, coinciding with the first days of class. At the upper secondary level, registration, distribution and activation are concentrated between August 17 and September 2, during the enrollment period, to facilitate the process with parents and guardians present. Registration is completed at data.michoacan.gob.mx. The initiative is part of the Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice.
Michoacán is the first state in the country to enshrine student connectivity at the constitutional level. Governor Ramírez Bedolla framed the program around the goal that "no young person should fail to submit an assignment for lack of internet." With the reform in force and D4TA operational, the model stands as a reference for other states seeking to close the digital divide through the legal framework.
This article was produced with AI assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.