Conatel to publish decision on asymmetric interconnection rates Friday

The Honduran telecoms regulator Conatel will reportedly publish its decision on establishing new asymmetric interconnection rates between incumbent operator Hondutel and private fixed line and mobile operators this Friday. However, Hondutel is thought to be unhappy at the plan having argued long and hard for the implementation of symmetrical interconnection rates. Jorge Aguilar, the managing director of Hondutel, is quoted as saying that his firm has made every effort to convince Conatel that it would be unfair to impose asymmetric rates on the telco. Hondutel’s problem is that under the watchdog’s plan, it would be required to pay six cents to mobile operators for terminating calls, whereas they would only be required to pay three cents to use the fixed PSTN. Aguilar argues that ‘this can not continue like this, that’s an injustice and we believe the interconnection charges should be symmetric’.