El Salvador Telecom Satellite Internet Decree

On July 13, 2022, the National Assembly El Salvador approved Decree No. 447, eliminating the requirement to pay a base price and annual fee for up to ten years for the concession of radioelectric frequencies for satellite internet.  Base prices and yearly fees correspond to the administration, management, and surveillance of the frequencies.  The law aims to attract satellite internet service providers to serve rural areas and low-density population areas.
 
The law stipulates that to be eligible for the exemption, the concessionaire should be registered as an Operator of Commercial Telecommunications Networks in the Electricity and Telecommunications Registry at the Superintendency of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET); provide internet access only through satellite internet service must be intended exclusively as an access service for end users, not for private access of the operator or business service; have points of contact for technical support and user service, in accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law, the Telecommunications Law, as well as any other regulations related to the quality of telecommunications services; and submit once a year a report to SIGET with the number of users. 

A copy of the Decree 447 is available on the El Salvador Official Gazette website (date of publication: July 13, 2022): Imprenta Nacional | Descargas (diariooficial.gob.sv)

For more information, contact the U.S. Commercial Service Office in San Salvador at office.sansalvador@trade.gov.