Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 12. Sectors › Telecommunications and broadcasting

Telecommunications and broadcasting

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

Ley 153-98 opens telecoms to competition under INDOTEL. Public services need a concession of 5 to 20 years, held by a Dominican company, and spectrum needs a licence, usually by public tender. Operators pay a 2% contribution on billing. Foreign capital is free in telecoms, but control of a radio or TV concession must rest with Dominicans or naturalized foreigners.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar, as shown on its home page on 30 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Concession term	5 to 20 yearsLey 153-98 art. 27.1, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Contribution on billing (CDT)	2 %Ley 153-98 art. 45.1, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Minimum tender notice for spectrum	90 calendar daysLey 153-98 art. 24.2, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Control of radio or TV concession	Dominican or naturalized foreigner Ley 153-98 art. 73.2, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. Telecommunications are of national jurisdiction. Taxes, fees and charges apply nationally, and no special rules may limit or block installation of services, except those from this law.Ley 153-98 General de Telecomunicaciones, art. 4, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Providing public telecommunications services to third parties needs a concession from the regulator.Ley 153-98, art. 19, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Use of the radio spectrum needs a licence from the regulator. Where a service needs both, they are granted at the same time.Ley 153-98, art. 20 and 21, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. To obtain concessions and licences for public services, the applicant must be a legal entity of the Dominican Republic.Ley 153-98, art. 22, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. The regulator must call a public tender where spectrum assigned to public radio communication services is needed, save for justified emergencies and exceptions for the State, non profits and religious bodies. Notice runs at least 90 calendar days ahead, in two stages: qualification and comparison of offers.Ley 153-98, art. 24, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Where no tender applies, the applicant publishes an extract once the regulator confirms the file is complete, third parties have 30 calendar days to comment, and the regulator then grants the concession at once.Ley 153-98, art. 25, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. A concession lasts what the applicant asks, between 5 and 20 years, and is renewable for equal periods. Licences tied to it last the same.Ley 153-98, art. 27.1 and 27.5, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Renewal must be asked for no more than a year before expiry. The regulator has 6 months, and with no express refusal the renewal is deemed granted. Only grounds for revocation can block it.Ley 153-98, art. 27.2 and 27.3, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Transfer, lease or pledge of a concession or licence needs prior authorization on pain of lapse, and the regulator may not refuse without just cause.Ley 153-98, art. 28.1, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. A sale of shares that loses the seller control of the company also needs regulator authorization.Ley 153-98, art. 28.2, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. Transfers are not authorized if the expansion plan was not met, the concession could be revoked, or sums are due to the regulator.Ley 153-98, art. 28.3, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. The contribution to telecommunications development (CDT) is 2% of amounts billed to end users before taxes, and of settlement balances on international services, excluding broadcasting, calculated on the prior month.
Cost to do it: 2% of billing: RD$2,000,000 (about US$32,840.35) on monthly billing of RD$100,000,000 (about US$1,642,017.25).
Example: RD$2,000,000 a month on RD$100,000,000 / US$32,840.35 a month on US$1,642,017.25Ley 153-98, art. 45.1, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

13. Tariffs are free except where the regulator must intervene. In that case they are set from cost plus a reasonable return, and charging below cost is barred to protect competition.Ley 153-98, art. 39 and 40, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

14. To hold a public broadcasting concession the applicant must be a Dominican company, and for radio and TV broadcasting control of management must rest with a Dominican national or naturalized foreigner.Ley 153-98, art. 73.1 and 73.2, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

15. Faults are classed as very serious, serious and minor, with fines of 30 to 200, 10 to 30 and 2 to 10 charge units (CI). A CI equals RD$20,000 of 1997, updated by the regulator with the consumer price index. Paying does not cure the irregular situation.Ley 153-98, art. 104, 108 and 109, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

16. Operating without a concession or licence also means paying the fees owed for all the time of irregular operation.Ley 153-98, art. 109.4, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

17. Under the new gaming law the gaming regulator and INDOTEL can order internet providers to block unlicensed gambling domains and apps.Ley 86-26, art. 79 paragraph II, 2026-09-22 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Activity	Title	Route
Public telecom service without spectrum need	Concession	Direct request, 30 day comment period
Service using public spectrum	Concession and licence together	Public tender
Radio or TV broadcasting	Concession and licence	Dominican company, control limit applies
Change of control	Regulator authorization	Art. 28.2

Which title for which service

Worked example

An operator bills RD$100,000,000 (about US$1,642,017.25) in a month to end users. Before taxes, the CDT is 2%, or RD$2,000,000 (about US$32,840.35).
A foreign fund buys 60% of a Dominican internet provider. Foreign capital is allowed, but the share sale moves control, so INDOTEL must authorize it first. Before closing, confirm the expansion plan is met and no sums are due.

Step by step

Set up a Dominican company.
Map services to concession and licence needs.
File with INDOTEL, or bid if spectrum is involved.
Publish the extract and wait 30 calendar days where there is no tender.
Sign the concession and start within the stated time.
Pay the CDT monthly and file with the regulator.
Ask for approval before any transfer or change of control.

Common traps

The CI is RD$20,000 in 1997 pesos and the regulator updates it. The current value was not found, so ask INDOTEL before quantifying a fine.
Regulations on concessions, fees and spectrum sit outside the law. We did not obtain INDOTEL's current fee tables, so no amounts are given.
The rule on loss of control catches share deals, not only asset deals. Build it into the conditions of the deal.
Radio and TV control is a nationality test, not a capital cap. Do not assume a foreign majority works for broadcasters.

Sources

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