ARGENTINA

On December 30, the National Communications Agency (Enacom in Spanish) authorized increases of up to 9.8% in the final price of pay TV, fixed telephony and internet services for providers with up to 100,000 retail customers. The increases may be applied as from January 1, 2022. You may access the Resolution by clicking here.

Enacom clarified that the affected companies may increase tariffs as long as they have complied with the resolutions that since 2020 establish ceilings to the increases of pay TV, fixed telephony and internet services. In addition, it should be noted that the increases will be applied on the prices in force last July.

On the other hand, the agency stated that the increases will not apply to basic, universal and mandatory services. It also determined that any increase on retail prices that had been applied and exceeded the expressly authorized values must be reimbursed to its users in the next invoice to be issued, with update and interest.

Finally, Enacom ruled that in those cases in which users do not pay their bill with increases higher than those authorized, the providers will not be able to calculate the legal terms in force to proceed to the suspension of the service.

Legal framework

The Necessity and Urgency Decree 690/2020 establishes that the prices of essential and strategic ICT public services and those of the Universal Service shall be regulated by Enacom.

Since last year, Enacom authorized a series of increases in ICT services through resolutions 1466/2020; 27/2021; 28/2021; 204/2021 and 862/2021. On this occasion, through resolution 2187/2021, the agency authorized a new increase of up to 9.8% for Internet Access Value Added Services Licensees (SVA-I in Spanish), Fixed Telephony Services (STF in Spanish), Subscription Radio Broadcasting Services through physical or radio link (SRSVFR in Spanish) and Subscription Radio Broadcasting Audiovisual Communication Services Licensees through satellite link (DTH) with up to 100,000 customers.