Regulatory watch: Universal service fund, environmental regulations and more

Universal service fund

The Argentine government decided to dissolve the universal service trust fund, which was administered by telecom regulator Enacom and financed by telcos’ 1% contribution of revenues from the provision of ICT services.

The fund was under review because it had been underused and there were insufficient records of the compliance status of funded projects, according to an audit done last year.

The decree to abolish the fund signed by President Javier Milei cites irregularities in contracts and compliance with the requirements established by law to receive the benefits.

Contribution

Colombian ICT ministry Mintic decided to maintain the rate corresponding to the single periodic contribution for the provision of telecommunications networks and services at 1.9% of telecom operators’ gross income.

The contribution is used to finance the universal service fund for ICT.

According to the resolution, Mintic considered that, although there is room to increase the compensation to 2.2% and so maintain the level of income of the fund, given the slowdown in the ICT sector “the current value of the single periodic compensation must be maintained at least while the sector recovers its dynamics.”

Extension

Colombian watchdog CRC decided to extend the deadline for submitting comments on phase 2 of the review of regulatory measures applicable to mobile services.

The regulatory project, which includes a package of measures to boost competition in the sector, will be subject to public consultation until January 22.

More information is available at this link.

Environmental management

Peru’s transport and communication ministry (MTC) approved environmental management regulations for the telecommunications sector with the aim of guaranteeing sustainable development in the sector.

“The approval of this regulation is a decisive step to consolidate the communications sector as an environmentally responsible, competitive sector in harmony with communities and ecosystems,” communications undersecretary Carla Sosa Vela said in a press release.

The regulation establishes the general obligations of project owners, the administrative procedures for the evaluation of environmental management instruments within the framework of the environmental impact review system and the creation of the registry of environmental consulting firms in the communications sector.

The full document can be seen at this link.