Regulatory roundup: Spectrum, number registry, universal service fund and more

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Colombia's ICT ministry (Mintic) modified a draft resolution that establishes guidelines for telecommunications network and service providers to report information to the ministry based on the first phase of a public consultation.

Mintic plans to implement technological infrastructure that allows interoperability and the use of APIs, facilitating the reception, processing and analysis of mobile service quality data.

The new draft will be open for comments until August 15. Comments may be submitted by email to vigilanceandcontrol@mintic.gov.co .

More information about the process is available at the following link.

SPECTRUM

El Salvador’s telecom regulator Siget has accepted a request for a concession by Telefónica Móviles El Salvador for nine pairs of radio spectrum frequencies for point-to-point links of the fixed service in the SHF band.

The regulator also granted CTE a concession for a pair of frequencies for point-to-point links of the SHF fixed service.

These portions were classified as spectrum for commercial use of a non-exclusive nature.

UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND

The auditor of Argentine regulator Enacom has cancelled a series of contracts and agreements related to the financing of the universal service fund due to non-compliance.

These are awards for non-reimbursable contributions for connectivity projects that had already signed the respective agreement but had not complied or had yet to sign.

The cancelled awards can be consulted in resolutions 291, 292, 294, 295, 296 and 297.

In mid-July, an audit conducted by Enacom revealed there were insufficient records of the compliance status of projects financed by the universal service fund.

It was also estimated that between 2.5bn and 3bn pesos (up to US$3.2mn) had to be paid in the form of pending contributions to approved and completed projects, but for which the last payments are still owed.

NUMBER REGISTRY

GSMA has criticized Costa Rican regulator Sutel's decision to require all prepaid mobile phone users to include their number and personal details in a registry to ensure their security.

According to the organization, these types of measures “are not effective in reducing crime and can have negative consequences for users.”

In Costa Rica, more than 57% of mobile subscriptions correspond to prepaid services, a modality generally chosen by people with low or irregular incomes. “Mandatory registration could present barriers to accessing mobile services for this segment, as well as for migrants and refugees,” GSMA said in a statement.

COOP AGREEMENT

Costa Rica’s technology and communications ministry (MICITT) signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan with the aim of promoting development in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and 5G mobile communications, among others.

The agreement provides for exchanges between officials and researchers, the organization of joint events and the exchange of good practices in the field of ICT and cooperation in an emergency system for natural disasters that the country will develop with the national emergency commission.

COMPLAINTS

Peruvian regulator Osiptel has begun an early consultation process to collect proposals for solutions to the problem of handling complaints from users of telecommunications services.

Osiptel prepared a diagnosis with 21 discussion questions regarding compliance with deadlines, complexity of the procedure and other factors.

Interested parties may participate in the consultation until August 28 through the email reglasreclamos@osiptel.gob.pe. The document is available at the following link.

FINE

Osiptel fined Telefónica del Perú around 400,000 soles (US$107,000) for internet problems in Loreto region.

The regulator said the fine was for not having implemented improvements to comply with the minimum guaranteed speeds established in contracts with clients in a number of provinces of the region, Infobae reported.