Countries › Colombia › Guide › 12. Sectors › Telecommunications and broadcasting in Colombia: the general authorization, TIC registry, the 1.9 percent FUTIC contribution, spectrum permits and renewals, sanctions and the 40 percent cap on foreign ownership of TV concessionaires

Telecommunications and broadcasting in Colombia: the general authorization, TIC registry, the 1.9 percent FUTIC contribution, spectrum permits and renewals, sanctions and the 40 percent cap on foreign ownership of TV concessionaires

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

Anyone may provide telecom networks and services in Colombia under a general authorization that takes effect on registration in the Registro Único de TIC, with no licence, and network works are of public utility; spectrum is separate and needs a prior permit from MinTIC, usually through a competitive process, for up to 20 years and renewable for up to 20 more, never free or automatic. Every provider pays a single periodic contribution to the FUTIC fund of 1.9 percent of gross telecom revenue (excluding terminals), settled quarterly, plus a spectrum fee on grant or renewal that can be paid up to 90 percent through approved coverage obligations. Fines reach 15,000 monthly minimum wages for companies, and foreign capital in television concessionaires is capped at 40 percent, subject to reciprocity.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,157.94 per US dollar, valid 27 October 2026, from the official TRM series published by the Superintendencia Financiera on the national open data portal. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Single periodic contribution to FUTIC, share of gross telecom revenue excluding terminals	1.9 %Resolución MinTIC 5635 de 2024 art. 1; Ley 1341 de 2009 art. 36, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum initial term of a spectrum use permit	20 yearsLey 1341 de 2009 art. 12, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Share of the spectrum fee payable through approved coverage obligations	90 %Ley 1341 de 2009 art. 13 (Ley 2294 de 2023 art. 140), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum TIC law fine for a company	15000 monthly minimum wagesLey 1341 de 2009 art. 65, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum foreign share of capital in a television concessionaire	40 %Ley 182 de 1995 art. 34 (Ley 680 de 2001 art. 1), as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Providing telecom networks and services, a public service owned by the State, is authorized generally and causes a periodic contribution to the Fondo Único de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (FUTIC). The authorization covers installing, expanding, modifying, operating and exploiting networks, whether or not offered to the public, but does not include the right to use radio spectrum. Network projects and works are declared of public utility and social interest.Ley 1341 de 2009, art. 10 as amended by Ley 1978 de 2019 art. 7 and Ley 2416 de 2024 art. 2, Art. 10, 2019-07-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Ley 2416 de 2024 (Diario Oficial 52.843, 9 August 2024) added the public utility and social interest declaration for telecom network works and a legal easement.

2. MinTIC keeps the public online Registro Único de TIC of networks, authorizations and permits. Telecom providers, broadcast TV and radio operators and holders of scarce resource permits must register, listing their partners (for sociedades anónimas only the legal representative and board members), and keep the data updated; registration is what formally completes the general authorization, new providers must register before starting operations, and failing to register is sanctioned.Ley 1341 de 2009, art. 15 as amended by Ley 1978 de 2019 art. 12, Art. 15 and par. 1, 2019-07-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. Spectrum use requires a prior, express permit from MinTIC, technology neutral within MinTIC policy, granted through objective selection processes after a public call that encourage investment, with guarantees; direct grants are allowed only where service continuity requires it and only until a selection process is run. Permits run for an initial term of up to 20 years, renewable on request for periods of up to 20 years, considering investment plans, network expansion and coverage; renewal is never free or automatic.Ley 1341 de 2009, art. 11 and 12 as amended by Ley 1978 de 2019 art. 8 and 9, Art. 11 and art. 12, 2019-07-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Spectrum use gives rise to an economic consideration to FUTIC set by MinTIC resolution on criteria such as bandwidth, potential users, coverage plans and demand. It is paid on grant or renewal of the permit, and up to 90 percent may be paid through obligations to do, authorized beforehand by MinTIC, that expand quality, capacity and coverage for poor and vulnerable populations, remote areas, rural public schools, health centres, libraries or emergency networks.Ley 1341 de 2009, art. 13 as amended by Ley 1978 de 2019 art. 10 and Ley 2294 de 2023 art. 140, Art. 13, 2023-05-19 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. All telecom providers pay a single periodic contribution to FUTIC set as one percentage of gross revenue from networks and services excluding terminals (for television, including advertising and terminals), reviewed every four years. From 1 January 2025 the rate is 1.9 percent of gross revenue accrued from providing telecom networks or services, excluding terminals, and 1.9 percent of television service revenue including advertising and terminals, settled and paid quarterly.
Cost to do it: 1.9 percent of gross telecom revenue, paid quarterly.
Example: A provider with COP 10,000,000,000 of annual gross revenue from networks and services (excluding terminal sales) pays COP 190,000,000 a year, about COP 47,500,000 per quarter. / About US$60,166 a year on about US$3,166,621 of revenue.Ley 1341 de 2009 art. 36 as amended by Ley 1978 de 2019 art. 23; Resolución MinTIC 5635 de 2024 art. 1 (amending Resolución 290 de 2010 art. 2), Ley 1341 art. 36; Res. 5635 de 2024 art. 1, 2024-12-31 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Resolución MinTIC 5635 of 31 December 2024 (Diario Oficial 52.986) set the rate from 1 January 2025 at 1.9 percent, keeping the prior level.

6. Infringers of the TIC law face, besides an order to stop the conduct: a warning; fines of up to 2,000 legal monthly minimum wages for individuals; fines of up to 15,000 legal monthly minimum wages for companies; suspension of operations to the public for up to two months; and forfeiture of the contract or cancellation of the licence, authorization or permit.
Example: With the 2026 monthly minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 (Decreto 1469 de 2025), the cap is COP 26,263,575,000 for a company and COP 3,501,810,000 for an individual. / About US$8,316,680 and US$1,108,891.Ley 1341 de 2009, art. 65 as amended by Ley 1753 de 2015 art. 44, Art. 65, 2015-06-09 official text · verified 2026-10-27

7. Foreign investment in television concessionaire companies, of any territorial scope, is allowed up to 40 percent of the concessionaire's total share capital. The investor's country must offer Colombian companies the same possibility in reciprocity, the investment carries an implied transfer of technology, and it may not be made through companies with bearer shares or whose partners are companies with bearer shares.Ley 182 de 1995, art. 34 as amended by Ley 680 de 2001 art. 1, Art. 34, 1995-01-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Item	Rule	Source
Market entry	General authorization, effective on TIC registry entry	Ley 1341 art. 10 and 15
Spectrum	Prior MinTIC permit, objective selection, up to 20 years plus renewals of up to 20	Ley 1341 art. 11 and 12
Periodic contribution	1.9% of gross telecom revenue excluding terminals, quarterly	Res. MinTIC 5635 de 2024
Spectrum fee	On grant or renewal; up to 90% in kind	Ley 1341 art. 13
Foreign ownership	Free in telecom; up to 40% in TV concessionaires	Ley 182 art. 34

Licensing and payments for telecom in Colombia

Step by step

Register in the Registro Único de TIC before starting operations, listing partners (or board and legal representative for an S.A.).
If spectrum is needed, follow MinTIC's selection calendar; plan coverage obligations that can offset up to 90 percent of the fee.
Book the 1.9 percent contribution quarterly on gross revenue from networks and services, excluding terminal sales.
For any television concession, cap foreign capital at 40 percent and check reciprocity and the bearer share prohibition.

Common traps

The general authorization never includes spectrum; operating radio links or mobile services without a permit is an infringement.
Spectrum renewal is neither free nor automatic and depends on compliance, efficient use and expansion plans.
The contribution base excludes terminals for telecom but includes advertising and terminals for television.
The 40 percent cap applies to TV concessionaires, not to telecom providers in general.

Sources

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