Regulatory roundup: spectrum auction, consumer protection, digital signature and more

Brazilian regulator Anatel has approved the release for public consultation of the proposed auction for the 700MHz bands.

The auction, which is non-revenue-based, will include the 708-718MHz and 763-773MHz ranges to enable the expansion of mobile service coverage in underserved areas and regions considered strategic.

The coverage commitments will include unconnected locations, sites where Oi is the sole provider, and areas located near highways. The proposed timeline for implementing these commitments is three years.

These bands, auctioned in the 2021 5G bidding process, were made available again after one of the winners of that process relinquished their rights. 

Chilean consumer protection

Chilean consumer protection service Sernac has requested the initiation of a voluntary collective procedure against Entel for unilaterally terminating contracts and creating new ones without customer consent, altering the terms originally agreed.

These practices affected approximately 3.2mn mobile service customers and 63,554 pay-TV customers between November 2022 and January 2023.

According to Sernac, the changes were not clearly or directly communicated, violating the obligation to provide truthful and timely information.

Sernac estimates that the average compensation payments will range between 13,000 and 40,000 pesos (US$13-US$41).

Colombian spectrum

Gabriel Jurado, the deputy minister of connectivity at the ICT ministry, announced plans to accelerate the spectrum allocation process next year, reducing assignment timelines to a maximum of six months.

“With the new demand-driven allocation model we are developing, operators will be able to access the spectrum quickly, without the lengthy processes that previously caused delays,” he stated in a ministry release.

The ICT ministry recently granted the company Invesa authorization to use the HF, VHF and UHF bands as part of the spectrum licensing process.

Invesa, based in Envigado, Antioquia, specializes in solutions for agriculture, industry, construction, the energy sector and telecommunications.

Argentine frequency assigned to satellite services

Regulator Enacom assigned the 71-76GHz frequency band to fixed satellite Earth-to-space services and the 81.86GHz band to fixed satellite space-to-Earth services, both with primary status.

Previously, these frequency bands were allocated to fixed services.

Certification in Bolivia

Bolivian watchdog ATT has approved a new directive for the registration and certification of telecommunications and ICT equipment.

The new regulation, which supersedes a 2023 directive, establishes a registry for manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of network equipment and sets requirements for the certification of telecommunications devices.

Uruguay and Dominican Republic to cooperate on digital signatures

Uruguay and the Dominican Republic have signed a cooperation agreement to ensure cross-border recognition of digital signatures.

The document was signed by the Dominican regulator Indotel, the head of the advisory council for Uruguay's electronic certification unit (UCE) and the South American country's electronic government agency Agesic. 

CRC opens public consultation on packaged communication service markets 

Colombian regulator CRC announced the release of the project formulation document for the competition analysis of packaged communication service markets for public consultation.

The document is part of the regulator's review of fixed service markets.

Interested parties may submit comments between now and January 15, 2025, via email to acm_empaquetados@crcom.gov.co, on social media or the regulator’s offices.

More information is available here.