ECUADOR'S
TELECOMMUNICATION
SECTOR
Paramaribo 2004
Verónica Yerovi A.
1
LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO THE
TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR
n
Special Telecommunication Act
n
Act to reform the Special Telecommunication Act
n
Act for the Economic Transformation of Ecuador
n
Radio and Television Broadcasting Act
n
Act to reform the Radio and Television
Broadcasting Act
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
2
TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR
ENTITIES
REGULATORY
FUNCTION
National Telecommunication Council
National Radio and Television
(CONATEL)
Broadcasting Council (CONARTEL)
National Telecommunication
Secretariat (SNT)
Office of the Superintendent of
EXECUTING AGENCY
FOR CONATEL
POLICIES
Telecommunications (SUPTEL)
OVERSIGHT FUNCTION
EXECUTING
AGENCY FOR
CONARTEL
POLICIES
3
TELECOMMUNICATION
SERVICES
Telecommunication services fall into
four groups:
n
n
n
n
End-user services
Bearer services
Value-added services
Resale services
4
LICENCES
n
CONCESSIONS:
n
n
n
n
PERMITS:
n
n
n
End-user services
Bearer services
Use of frequencies
Value-added services
Private networks
REGISTRATION:
n
n
n
Cybercafés
Physical networks (bearers)
Spread spectrum
5
OPERATORS
SERVICE
REGIME
Fixed telephone service
Mobile telephone service
Bearer services
Trunk systems
Value-added services
Cybercafés
Competition
Competition
Competition
Competition
Competition
Competition
OPERATORS
7 (3)
3
14
7
120 (60)
1 500
6
FIXED TELEPHONE SERVICE
7
TARIFF REGULATION
n
Provision of a service subject to payment of
tariffs regulated under the corresponding
contracts
Special affordable tariffs for low-income
segments of the population
Criteria for setting tariffs
n
Approval procedures (for public services)
n
n
8
TARIFF REGULATION
n
The following services are subject to tariff
ceilings:
n
n
n
Fixed telephone service
Mobile telephone service
The following services are not subject to tariff
ceilings:
n
n
n
Bearer services
Trunk systems
Value-added services
9
Current tariffs
Registration fee
Category A
Category B
Category C
Basic fee
Category A
Category B
Category C
Approved
ceilings
Difference
30.00
44.00
31.82%
60.00
88.00
31.82%
60.00
200.00
70.00%
1.20 + 100 minutes
6.90 + 0 minutes
82.61%
7.00 + 100 minutes
8.60 + 0 minutes
18.60%
12.00
12.00
0.00%
0.003
0.017
82.35%
0.010
0.027
62.96%
0.012
0.056
78.57%
0.29
0.290
0.00%
0.015
0.017
11.76%
0.027
0.027
0.00%
0.056
0.056
0.00%
0.29
0.29
0.00%
0.024
0.028
14.29%
0.056
0.056
0.00%
0.112
0.112
0.00%
0.29
0.29
0.00%
0.25
0.25
0.00%
Usage fees
Category A
Local
Regional
National
To cellular telephones
Category B
Local
Regional
National
To cellular telephones
Category C
Local
Regional
National
To cellular telephones
Group 2 (Mexico, USA, Canada)
10
TOTAL TELEPHONE TRAFFIC
INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE TRAFFIC HANDLED BY ANDINATEL S.A. AND PACIFICTEL S.A.,
IN MINUTES, 1992 TO 2003
MINUTES PER
CALENDAR QUARTER
450 000 000
400 000 000
350 000 000
300 000 000
250 000 000
200 000 000
150 000 000
100 000 000
50 000 000
1992
1996
CONSOLIDATED TOTAL
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
1999
Q3
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
2002
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
2001
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
2000
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
1998
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
1997
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
1995
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
1994
Q4
Q2
Q1
Q3
1993
Q4
Q2
Q4
Q1
Q3
Q2
Q1
0
2003
GROWTH TREND
IET - FS / JG /
SEPTEMBER 2003
11
TRAFFIC ENTERING ECUADOR HANDLED BY EMERGING
CARRIERS, ACCORDING TO THE FCC
Dollar value
ECS 30.000.000
LOST REVENUE FROM BYPASS
ECS 25.000.000
ECS 20.000.000
ECS 15.000.000
LOST REVENUE
ECS 10.000.000
FROM VOIP
ECS 5.000.000
ECS 0
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
IET - FS / JG /
SEPTEMBER 2003
12
MOBILE SERVICE TARIFFS
n
PAID IN ADVANCE
n
n
PAID AFTERWARDS
n
n
USD 0.50
USD 0.12
SHORT MESSAGES
Package
160 messages or e-mails
300 messages or e-mails
Cost
Duration
USD 2 + VAT 30 days
USD 5 + VAT 30 days
13
Telecommunication policies
n
n
n
Open competition
Universal service
Promoting the development of the
Internet
14
Telecommunication policies
n
n
n
Mandatory interconnection and connection,
thereby guaranteeing connectivity
Preparating draft legislation to establish service
and network standards
Promoting convergence
15
Universal service
n
n
n
Establishing the Fund for Telecommunication
Development in Rural and Marginal Urban
Areas (FODETEL)
Formulating the Universal Service Plan
Including public services (fixed and mobile
telephone service) under universal service
16
FODETEL
n
n
FODETEL is a fund set up to assist rural and
marginal urban areas not covered by the expansion
plans of service providers approved by CONATEL or
under existing licences.
To finance this fund, all telecommunication service
providers holding a licence are required each year to
contribute the equivalent of 1 per cent of their service
revenues from the previous year.
17
FODETEL
FODETEL operates by conducting public
competitions aimed at selecting the best qualified
person or firm to carry out projects in specific areas,
on the basis of the smallest direct subsidy or other
selection criteria.
18
Telecommunication policy
Promoting the development of the Internet
n
Encouraging the use of the Internet as a tool for
furthering Ecuador's cultural, social, political and
economic development.
19
Connectivity Agenda
n
n
The objective of the Connectivity Agenda is "to develop
infrastructure that will give people access to information and
communication technologies (ICTs), in every part of Ecuador,
so that they may share in the benefits of the knowledge
society". To this end, special technical committees may be set
up to devise national programmes in such fields as teleeducation, telemedicine, e-commerce, connectivity
infrastructure and e-government.
The ultimate aim is to evolve into an information and
knowledge society and to guarantee the right to access these
information and communication technologies and use them in a
fair and democratic way.
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Principal lines of strategic action
The National Connectivity Agenda's principal lines
of strategic action are centred on access
infrastructure, tele-education, telehealth,
e-government and e-commerce.
21