Indotel ends 2021 as the best year in its history, motoring resources and investments for almost RD $ 20 billion

Press release by Indotel

(Machine translation)

SANTO DOMINGO. -The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) ended the year 2021 with the implementation of multiple actions, initiatives and projects that marked unprecedented milestones for the institution, and contributed to consolidating growth and driving the projection of investments in the sector.

The Indotel, under the management of Nelson Arroyo, president of the Board of Directors of the regulatory body, has achieved great milestones that have a direct impact on the advancement of the Dominican Republic in technological and economic matters and has created the conditions for the development of the sector of telecommunications in terms of coverage and quality of fixed and mobile networks, thus ensuring new and better opportunities for Dominicans.

Through the National Broadband Plan and the Biannual Plan, the regulatory body has developed public and private investment projects to increase coverage levels, including remote areas that are not served to date. In addition, to achieve human development through the productive use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by the Dominican population.

“During this management we have taken steps to create the conditions for the development of the sector, the deployment of the latest generation technologies, and we have ensured investment in telecommunications in the years to come,” Arroyo emphasized.

5G

Among the achievements made by the institution during 2021, is the bidding process for the fifth generation of mobile networks (5G), ensuring the deployment of modern infrastructure with levels of quality never before perceived by Dominican users; This in turn means that the State will receive revenues of more than 73.7 million dollars.

With the entry into operation of 5G mobile networks, the Dominican Republic is at the forefront of the forefront throughout the region, thus becoming the third Latin American country to have such technology.

“We received the challenge, from President Luis Abinader, to create the conditions to start a bidding process for the radio spectrum bands that would allow the 5G networks to function. Many doubted whether this project could be done in the short term; and today I can say that we achieved it in record time and today we are the third country to have this technology in all of Latin America ”, expressed Nelson Arroyo, president of the Board of Directors of Indotel.

Consolidating the industry

Another of the great achievements of Nelson Arroyo's management at the head of Indotel was the signing of Concession contracts with the main service providers in the country, through which investments in the telecommunications and telecommunications sector were provided with legal security. Infrastructure expansion plans were guaranteed in the least served areas of the country. Through said signature, the concessionaires will make investments of more than 65 million dollars in the next four years, and the State will receive 45 million dollars; totaling an amount of US $ 110 million.

With the expansion of the coverage areas, the opportunity is provided for more Dominicans to have access and to use the advantages offered by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which serve to close the digital divide.

Through the National Broadband Plan, the telecommunications sector will receive investments of more than 115 million dollars, of which 80 million will be invested to increase and improve the deployment of fiber optics in Dominican territory. While through the Biannual Project Plan the coverage areas will be increased, including 17 remote communities in the country.

Through presidential decree 71-21, the Digital Transformation Cabinet was created that formulates the Digital Agenda, composed of 7 axes, one of which is the Connectivity and Access axis, which aims precisely to implement the National Broadband Plan .

Regarding improvements in the quality of telecommunications services, Indotel acquired advanced equipment for measuring the quality of voice and data services, with which it began the work of auditing the parameters established in the regulations and in the obligations of publication of the information placed in charge of the providers.

Regulatory Agenda

On the other hand, the president of Indotel highlighted that the Board of Directors closed 2021 with 51 sessions and 150 approved resolutions, which seek to regulate the telecommunications sector in the country, to adapt it to the new times of innovative technologies, as well as to ensure the free competition and strengthen the rights of users.

Also, the regulatory body put into public consultation the Regulatory Agenda for 2022, which contemplates developing the Master Plan on the use of the radioelectric spectrum, the promotion of competition, regulatory efficiency and other projects that are currently underway.

The institution has harmonized the regulatory and compliance ecosystem so that new actors are involved in the provision of electronic trust services and digital signatures, obtaining a greater diversity of products and services in the matter, and enabling important sectors such as Financial, Judicial, Government, among others, use secure processes of digital identity management, banking onboarding and digital signatures.

The nuance of forced virtuality driven by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted us to provide tools to empower MSMEs through capacity development, which we promoted through workshops called eCommerce Thursdays, as an initiative that created a space to promote adoption of Electronic Commerce and that had the participation of experts, enthusiasts and new participants from the ecosystem of the digital economy. Likewise, we provide support for the adoption of the Digital Signature as a reliable tool that promotes an agile realization of processes and online transactions, this expanding the services of the entities authorized to issue certificates, stamps and digital signatures.

Julissa Cruz, executive director of Indotel, under the directives of the Board of Directors, has had the arduous task of executing the agenda of the regulatory body. In addition, he was in charge of leading important projects such as the creation of a Cybersecurity Regulation for the Provision of the Internet Access Service, which is necessary in the current digital age that we are developing to consolidate efforts to mitigate potential cyber attacks.

“This year has been a challenge, but it ends with a great feeling of satisfaction. In just 12 months we were able to complete an international tender for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure for the operation of 5G; We signed the Concession contracts with the main providers, ensuring the investment and development of the sector for up to the next 20 years, and the expansion of the coverage areas, so that more Dominicans have access to telecommunications services. In addition, we develop and approve a cybersecurity regulation, which is very important. Also, we started the processes so that the analog blackout and the digital transmission ignition is a reality in 2022; among many other projects we carry out. The Dominican Republic is changing to a more connected, competitive one with great opportunities for all its inhabitants ”, explained Julissa Cruz, executive director of Indotel.

Digital Terrestrial Television

Digital terrestrial television will be another of Indotel's milestones in the coming year 2022, since according to Arroyo, the approval of the Digital TV Regulation and the Transition Plan towards digital TV that reorders the frequencies that the channels will use will allow the television plants install their digital transmitters under the ATSC 1 standard, which is the one used by television in the United States.

In this vein, the president of Indotel assured that the Dominican State will carry out the project for the acquisition and distribution of the "converter" boxes, which entails an investment of 30 million dollars, in order to allow "vulnerable households to receive open TV signals in digital format ”.

Social Commitment

Nelson Arroyo's management, together with his team, has developed multiple campaigns and projects focused on positively impacting citizens, collaborators, other institutions and the regulatory body itself.

During 2021, Indotel signed various inter-institutional cooperation agreements between different public organizations, whose objective is to promote and apply new technological and digital tools such as the Digital Signature, in order to increase digitization in the public sector .

Also, by signing with the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI), Indotel made its recreational club available, so that it can be converted into a first reception center that houses children and adolescents in vulnerable situations. .

In environmental matters, the institution has been developing a culture in favor of the environment, creating the "Indotel Verde" campaign through which employees are being educated in the correct use of waste and the various ways in which it can be reused and reduce material consumption at workstations. In addition, they created various discussions focused on the correct way to recycle electronic and electrical equipment that is no longer used, such as cell phones, computers, among others.

Along the same lines, Indotel signed an agreement with the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MIMARENA) for the adoption of an agenda of joint measures that allow the management of the recovery, storage, transport and recycling of waste and residues. of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).