Updated August 18, 2026 at 9:52 a.m. Colombia time
ICT Minister Alexandra Falla issued formal directives to telecommunications providers to prioritize connectivity and safeguard emergency communications in affected territories.
Priority for emergency communications
Circular 0028 calls for immediate, free and timely network availability for authorities and life-saving communications. Calls to 123 and other emergency lines must remain free, including without credit or when service is suspended.
Regulatory tools under consideration
ANE is to identify unused spectrum for possible temporary authorisations of supplementary terrestrial or satellite links, including direct-to-device links. CRC may provisionally order access, use and interconnection to share infrastructure that remains operational. These possibilities do not establish that the links are already active.
SMS, amateur radio and free calls
During congestion, the ministry recommends SMS and instant messaging. Mobile operators were enabled to offer free calls during the emergency; citizen-band and amateur radio networks may support communications under UNGRD direction.
Monitoring without a restoration rate
CMIC is monitoring the sector; public media and Radio Nacional stations are reported active. The 1:54 p.m. post reiterates the monitoring, but provides no recent nationwide coverage, outage or restoration rate.
Meeting with four sector participants
On August 15, Minister Alexandra Falla and her deputy ministers met Claro, Tigo, WOM and Asomóvil to monitor network conditions and coordinate service continuity in affected areas. The post provides no nationwide outage or restoration rate and no new territorial breakdown.
Temporary authorisation for direct satellite-to-phone links
At 9:29 a.m., the ministry says ANE is working on temporary spectrum authorisation for Direct to Device links between satellites and mobile phones. The process is under way: no operating D2D service, coverage, operator or activation date is announced.
CRC may set provisional network-sharing conditions
MinTIC says CRC is authorised to establish provisional conditions allowing operators to share networks and interconnect services using available infrastructure. The regulatory measure proves neither coverage, speed nor complete restoration.
Update history
Updated August 15, 2026 at 3:50 p.m. Colombia time
Retrospective addition at 1 p.m. of MinTIC’s meeting with Claro, Tigo, WOM and Asomóvil to monitor networks and coordinate continuity. No recent nationwide outage or restoration rate and no media added.
Updated August 17, 2026 at 9:56 p.m. Colombia time
The D2D procedure was added retrospectively at 9:30 a.m. It is not yet a deployed service.
Updated August 18, 2026 at 9:52 a.m. Colombia time
The provisional framework announced at 8:37 a.m. was added; no service improvement is inferred.
Sources and transparency
- MinTIC — note officielle sur la circulaire 0028
- MinTIC — publication officielle à 9 h 41 COT
- MinTIC — suivi publié à 13 h 54 COT
- MinTIC — réunion avec les opérateurs publiée à 12 h 50 COT
- MinTIC — autorisation temporaire D2D en préparation, 17 août à 9 h 29 COT
- MinTIC — partage provisoire des réseaux annoncé le 18 août à 08 h 37 COT