Almost 13 years have elapsed since the promulgation of the Framework Law for the Telecommunication Sector, Decree-Law 185-95, and its amendment through Decree-Law 118-97. It marked the beginning of a new era in that sector and ushered in major changes, due to the fact that a regulatory framework lays the groundwork for striking a balance between the core regulator-operator-user protagonists of telecommunication services of various kinds with different technologies, whereby telecommunication is regarded as a key factor in, and indicator of,  the economic development of Honduras.

Back in 1996, Honduras was one of the relatively least developed countries in Central America with respect to telecommunication, with a low telephony density of barely 5 lines per 100 inhabitants. The State-owned Empresa Hondureña de Telecomunicaciones (HONDUTEL) was the only operator.

In that same year there were 190,236 fixed telephony subscribers and 1,734 mobile phone subscribers: statistics that have since changed significantly. By June 2008, there were 848,543 fixed telephony subscribers and in August 2008, Honduras had 5.4 million mobile phone subscribers, out of a total population of 7.3 million.

Thus, thanks to the opening up of the market for mobile telephony services and, subsequently, fixed telephony services, with some 20 companies providing them, in addition to a considerable number of enterprises providing data, Internet, Cable TV, radio, television, and other services, there has been a marked increase in the number of subscribers. The three major telecommunication operators in the country are: HONDUTEL, CELTEL (TIGO) and SERCOM (CLARO).  Another company, DIGICEL, will shortly enter the market to provide mobile telephony services.

As for fixed satellite services, Honduras does not have any satellite in orbit. Nevertheless, in respect of systems providing fixed and mobile services, Honduras has maintained an open market policy toward providers of satellite services for both fixed and mobile telephony. Operators who have so wished have signed the respective contracts with CONATEL (the Honduran regulator). For that reason and also in order to bring telecommunication services to rural and remote areas, CONATEL approved – in Reslution NR004/03 – a broadband satellite access network, with the following characteristics:

• Broadband transmission networks providing multimedia services;

• Authorization to serve as an access network for fixed/mobile telephony, data, and other services;

• Use of one or more satellites belonging to satellite operators that have signed services agreements with CONATEL;

• Authorization, by means of a license, to use the radio spectrum covering the whole of the national territory;

• C and Ku frequency bands; and

• Use of frequency-time division multiple access (FTDMA) and demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) techniques.

Finally, Honduras is experiencing strong economic growth and the telecommunication sector is no exception, the number of fixed telephony subscribers growing 11% on average while mobile phone subscribers have an average growth rate of 119%. That points to the use of satellite systems through satellite operators authorized in Honduras (nine agreements have been signed and nine satellite segment marketing companies registered), for both national and international communications.

Chart No. 1 and Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the Appendix show indicators for fixed and mobile telephony and Cable TV subscribers, Internet users, and operators and marketing companies for the satellite segment.

APPENDIX

 Chart No. 1: Growth of fixed and mobile telephone lines

Table No. 1: Growth of fixed and mobile telephone lines

*848,543 fixed telephony subscribers in June and 5.4 million mobile phone subscribers in August

Table No. 2: Cable TV subscribers

Table No. 3: Internet Users

Table No. 4: Satellite Services Operators

Table No. 5: Companies marketing the satellite segment

Javier Hernández Flores
Director Gestión del Espectro Radioeléctrico
CONATEL, HONDURAS C.A.
Tel: (504) 234 8600
Fax: (504) 234 8533
E-Mail: [email protected]
Sitio web: www.conatel.hn