Colombia

Source: https://www.redesac.org.mx/regulacion

In Colombia, Law 1341 of 2009 has opened the entry of new actors for the provision of telecommunications services, which could be small operators or large operators, for profit or non-profit.

Colombia has been exploring the possibility of accommodating community operators in rural or difficult-to-access areas for the deployment of land mobile services (broadband) and is still in the study stage.

According to information obtained by the Ministry of ICT and the National Spectrum Agency (ANE), pilot tests are intended to define technical, economic and social feasibility, to establish new regulatory measures. In addition to this exploration, there are community television and broadcasting licenses for which special price conditions and obligations have been determined.

Resolution 461 of 2017, issued by the ANE, mentions the technical and operative conditions for the operation of blank space devices in the band 470 MHz to 698 MHz in the “free use” modality, which does not require payments for the use of the radioelectric spectrum.

Additionally, Resolution 711 of 2016 significantly expanded the spectrum destined for free use, with which it hopes to guarantee the possibility that connectivity technologies at reasonable costs reach low-income populations.

Resolution 1824 was published in 2018, establishing mechanisms for the light assignment of spectrum specifically in band E, in order to facilitate the deployment of broadband services in rural and remote areas.

This band constitutes an adequate technical solution to respond to the high demand of broadband spectrum for the provision of services, due to the fact that it presents a very low probability of interference between links; providing high data transmission capacities for the deployment of network links (backhaul) and last mile radio links, in addition to the easy installation of equipment, the bandwidths that use 250MHz base channelization plans and the high performance levels (throughput) that can be reached per channel.

The Ministry of ICT may establish discounts on the consideration for the use of the radio spectrum in cases where the sole purpose is the development of social telecommunications programs or projects.