The Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) of Colombia is easing regulation around rural network deployments to incentivise regional ISPs to expand into previously unconnected areas.
Under the new Resolution No. 6755, internet service providers focused on “rural, remote and difficult to access areas” and with fewer than 30,000 subscriptions will not be required to adhere to sector frameworks around compensation, measurement and user service. The resolution is in line with a law introduced last year enshrining internet access as an essential public service.
The resolution could have a significant impact given that 479 ISPs meet these criteria. Collectively, they cover 1012 municipalities; with the relaxed restrictions allowing them to expand beyond this, CommsUpdate reports that the CRC has estimated that up to 5.8 million people could benefit.