Honduran telecommunications regulatory reforms

The National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) of Honduras has begun efforts to enhance the nation’s digital infrastructure and regulatory environment. Initially, CONATEL met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss how connectivity impacts productivity, trade, and investment, with the IMF planning a mission to examine the sector’s economic contributions.

Following these discussions, CONATEL launched a large-scale amnesty and regularization process under Legislative Decree 172-2026. This initiative aims to organize the national spectrum and normalize the industry’s legal and financial standing. The program provides companies a six-month window to obtain operating licenses and offers a total pardon of fines, sanctions, and interest.

To encourage compliance, the decree adjusts the monthly gross income tax for public telecommunications services to 1% and allows operators with valid titles to settle debts accumulated between 2014 and April 2026 through 24-month payment agreements. Unauthorized or clandestine operators are also permitted to regularize their status if they meet specific technical and legal requirements.

As of late September 2026, CONATEL has officially implemented this massive amnesty and regularization process, maintaining the six-month window for companies to normalize their financial status and secure necessary operating licenses.