HONDURAS

"President submits changes for telecoms framework to congress," Cellular News, 16 March 2007, in English: "Honduras' congress is preparing to discuss modifications to the country's telecoms laws, having received final changes approved by President Manuel Zelaya, according to a statement posted on the presidential website. The fixed line market was liberalized in December 2005 and the new law is designed to further adapt the market to competition, in line with free market principles laid out in a free trade agreement with the US, which mandates an open telecoms sector... The law highlights measures to bring new mobile operators into the market... According to a research note from Irish consultancy Research and Markets, the telecoms law has been delayed due to political controversy over the role of Hondutel in a reformed market... Honduras has the fourth lowest telecom penetration rate in Latin America, according to Research and Markets..."
"Telecom Market Opens," Latin America Monitor, January 2006: "Christmas Day [2005] signaled an end of an era in telecommunications in Honduras: the state-run Hondutel finally relinquished its monopoly over the vastly overpriced and inefficient international call market, as well as over the fixed line, telex and telegraphy services..."
"The Internet has been slow to develop because over half of the population live below the poverty line, and large areas of the country have no telephone connection at all..." ---Telecoms in Latin America 2004, BuddeComm, June 2004
"Wireless Internet Survey: Honduras," US Embassy Tegucigalpa, 25 April 2003: "...According to the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), Honduras has not yet allocated any unlicensed radio-frequency spectrum for use by Wi-Fi and similar wireless technologies. Equipment utilizing [spread] spectrum technologies, such as Wi-Fi, are subject to a general license granted through Conatel's resolution NR016/00. Honduran telecom norm does not make any distinction between indoor and outdoor use... Effective radiated power radio-frequency devices, with a rate equal or less than 10 milliwatts, are subject to a general license allowing them to operate freely. In Honduras, Wi-Fi systems can be used without a license, as equipment utilizing [spread] spectrum technologies are only subject to a general license, granted through Conatel's resolution NR016/00. Wi-Fi systems can be used for commercial purposes as long as the operator has an exploitation permit for public use. At present, there are no commercial Wi-Fi networks that provide service to the public operating in Honduras. In the event that Wi Fi systems are used, these would only be allowed for data transmission operations connected via satellite or cable TV networks."
"Ley Marco del Sector de Telecomunicaciones" (DECRETO No. 185-95 y DECRETO No. 118-97) says in Article 9: "El espectro radioeléctrico es un recurso natural de propiedad exclusiva del Estado..." (The radioelectric spectrum is a natural resource that is the exclusive property of the State...)
Res. NR015/00: "Otorga licencia general para la operación de estaciones del Servicio de Canales Omnibús o Banda Ciudadana" (Grant of a general license for the operation of stations in the Omnibus Channels or Citizens Band service), 6 April 2000, in Spanish.
Res. NR016/00: "Otorga licencia general para la operación de sistemas de radiocomunicación que utilizan tecnología de espectro ensanchado" (Grant of a general license for the operation of stations that utilize spread spectrum technology), 6 April 2000, in Spanish. Rules for these stations are given in Res. NR014/00.
Res. NR026/00: Otorga permiso general a los sistemas de servicios de telecomunicaciones que utilizan tecnología de espectro ensanchado y que sean de carácter privado" (Authorizing general permission to the systems of telecommunication services that utilize spread spectrum technology and which are of a private character), 31 August 2000, in Spanish.
Res. NR018/01: "Otorga Permiso y Licencia General para la operación de estaciones radioeléctricas de los sistemas del Servicio de Radio Familiar" (Authorizing Permission and a General License for the operation of radio stations in the Family Radio Service), 8 August 2001, in Spanish. This service uses frequencies in the 462 and 467 MHz range.
Res. NR012/05: "Modifica el Reglamento de los Sistemas de Radiocomunicación que Utilizan Tecnología de Espectro Ensanchado" (Modification of Regulations for the Radiocommunication Systems which Utilize Spread Spectrum Technology), 3 June 2005, in Spanish. This brings Honduras into line with changes made by the FCC in December 2003, allowing new digital modulations in the ISM bands and wireless access systems in the 5.8 GHz band.
"I summarize the lessons I learned from working in Honduras, after the passing of Hurricane Mitch: 1) Create an environment in which the government allows license-free and authorization-free regimes for small and usually local entrepreneurs, for services such as Internet cafes (including spread spectrum technologies, and some satellite technologies), amateur radio, etc... [Where] the population is dispersed, wireless technologies have a clear advantage in reaching the end customers. Therefore, licensing regimes for spectrum should be streamlined..." ---Dante Mossi Reyes, Global ICT Department of the World Bank, writing in an online discussion of "Attracting Investment in Post-Conflict Countries: The Importance of Telecommunications," 26 April 2005.

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HONDURAS