ENACOM Approves New General Regulation on Universal Service 

The Argentine Communications Agency (ENACOM) published Resolution 1182/2025 in the Official Gazette on September 22, 2025, replacing the previous General Regulation on Universal Service approved by ENACOM Resolutions  2642/2016 and 721/2020. This Resolution is framed within the Federal Critical Communications Infrastructure Plan, approved at the beginning of 2025, which seeks to guarantee equal access to quality services, help bridge the digital divide, foster the development of new technologies, and advance toward technological convergence.

The Regulation establishes, among other provisions:

•    Information and Communications Technology (ICT) license holders must continue contributing 1% of their accrued revenues, net of taxes and fees, to the Universal Service Fund. The deadline for the integration of Investment Contributions remains unchanged: payments must be made by the 10th day of the second month following the reporting period. Changes were introduced regarding payment methods, which may now be made through Banco Nacion, ENACOM’s Treasury, or the e-Recauda system.

•    A Universal Service Contribution Credit Certificate is introduced. This instrument enables ICT service providers to offset their monthly obligations against investments previously validated and recorded under ENACOM-approved projects.

•    The Universal Service Fund may now finance a broader range of initiatives, including last-mile network improvements, investments in uncovered areas, regional ICT development, deployment of mobile and access networks in hard-to-reach areas, promotion of regional data centers, and integration with artificial intelligence.

•    The National Directorate of Planning and Development, in coordination with the National Directorate of Regulatory Affairs, will monitor the programs, their outcomes, and their impact, and will prepare an annual report detailing the results obtained for each program.

•    Requirements are established for the submission, approval, and execution of projects, including a maximum term of 36 months, mandatory technical documentation, and periodic audits.

•    Projects may be awarded through bidding, competitive processes, or direct execution in special cases, and priority will be given to municipalities that adopt best practices for network deployment.

•    A supervision and penalty regime is established, including fines, termination of agreements, and reimbursement of funds in cases of non-compliance.