Dominican Rep opens consultation on fixed internet project

Dominican Republic telecom regulator Indotel opened this week a preliminary consultation on a infrastructure deployment plan for fiber optic networks to the home to offer fixed internet services.

The initiative is part of a connectivity project to accelerate access, adoption and continuity of digital services financed by a US$115mn IDB loan.

The financing component for broadband infrastructure of US$80mn, is for the expansion of backbone, aggregation and access networks and expansion of international connectivity.

The aim is to connect around 160 locations that currently do not have fixed internet access.

According to figures included in the IDB program, 95.3% of the Dominican Republic’s territory does not have fixed coverage or has little capacity.

The preliminary consultation is the step prior to a competitive process in which one or more companies will be chosen to deploy, operate and maintain the telecommunications networks in the selected locations.

The consultation, which will be open until February 14, seeks to gather opinions about the locations identified for the project, available technologies and technical aspects of the network and the bidding and selection process of the winning company or companies.

It will also cover a proposal to include a social plan with minimum technical specifications for uploads and downloads and a maximum rate.

According to IDB figures, the improvement in connectivity will benefit approximately 108 municipalities and more than 2mn people.

In addition, it is estimated that the entire connectivity project, which also includes the modernization of broadcasting services and the creation of digital skills, will contribute to an increase in annual GDP of 1.46%, an improvement in productivity of 1.2% and the creation of 33,000 jobs.

The project is part of a series of initiatives that the Dominican Republic is carrying out to improve its telecommunications infrastructure under the 2030 Digital Agenda.

In addition to this project, the 2021-24 plan includes the use of fiber optics from the Edet electricity transmission company for data transport services to public and private entities, as well as telecommunications operators.

The Dominican Republic is one of three countries in Latin America that have auctioned spectrum for 5G.

Operators Claro and Altice were the winners of the tender, offering to pay the state US$73.8mn over the next 20 years.