Dominican Republic sets 2023 regulatory agenda

The board of Dominican telecom regulator Indotel has approved its regulatory agenda for 2023, including seven projects for possible intervention. 

These initiatives include modifications to regulations on the authorizations for telecommunication services, sharing of passive infrastructure, administrative penalty procedures, the telecommunications development fund and public policy on universal services, along with the review of the emergency alert system in the case of national security and defense situations. 

The regulatory agenda was the result of a process that included observations from operators Altice Dominicana, Clear, Wind Telecom and Rodritel.

Indotel had already issued two resolutions with new regulations at the beginning of the year: a norm establishing the conditions to apply a regulatory sandbox for innovations and testing, and the establishment of maximum limits on ownership of radioelectric spectrum. 

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Telecom operators in Bahamas have criticized plans to increase utility regulator Urca’s budget for 2023. 

Both Cable Bahamas and BTC expressed concern over the regulator’s higher draft budget and staff turnover, which they claim has impacted the regulator's efficiency, local news outlet EW News reported. 

"URCA’S significant increase in the budget amounts for 2023 in the absence of detailed explanations or justification is a cause for great concern to licensees. The days of telcos being a 'cash cow' are decidedly over," Cable Bahamas was cited as saying.  

“While URCA provided some explanations for the year-over-year variances in the expenses outlined in the budget, the explanations were not comprehensive,” BTC stated.

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Meanwhile, Urca has granted SpaceX’s Starlink a license to offer broadband services in the Bahamas, according to news portal Developing Telecoms.  

SpaceX holds licences in around 50 markets. In the Caribbean, Starlink is offering services in Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Guadalupe and Martinique.

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Digicel has received consent from the holders of its 6.75% senior notes due on March 1, 2023 for a 15-day extension with an option for a further 15-day extension to formalize a restructuring agreement. 

According to The Irish Times, Digicel CEO Denis O’Brien has managed to secure backing from two key groups of creditors to advance a massive debt restructuring that would see US$1.8bn of borrowings written off and his stake in the firm fall as low as 10%.