Indotel, the Dominican Republic’s telecommunications regulatory authority, has recently announced the implementation of the National Automatic Roaming (RAN) regulation. This regulation allows mobile users to access services from different telecom providers without incurring additional charges when their primary provider lacks coverage in certain areas.
The announcement comes after the measure was validated by the Constitutional Court (TC) and the Administrative Superior Court (TSA), which rejected appeals from major operators like Claro and Altice that challenged Indotel’s authority to enforce such regulations. The courts affirmed that this initiative promotes competition and enhances user connectivity without infringing on operators’ rights.
The telecom companies had disputed the implementation of Indotel Resolution No. 070-2023 that called for establishing the Roaming Ruling and the Automatical National Roaming (RAN).
Overall, this new measure aims to improve telecommunication services across the Dominican Republic by ensuring that users have uninterrupted access to mobile services regardless of their primary provider’s coverage limitations.
The RAN regulation ensures that users can maintain their mobile services, including calls, messages, and data, even in regions where their primary operator does not provide coverage. This is particularly beneficial in remote areas where infrastructure may be lacking.
The service will be activated automatically when a user enters an area covered by another provider. Users will not need to request this service explicitly; it will occur seamlessly as part of the network agreements between operators.
The regulation stipulates that the quality of service provided to users while roaming must be equivalent to that offered by local users of the visited network. This aims to maintain a high standard of service across different networks.
By facilitating easier access to networks for all operators, the RAN regulation is expected to enhance competition within the telecom market, potentially leading to better services and lower prices for consumers.
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Indotel
Telesemana
24 February 2025