Indotel Connects 71 Southern Communities to Fixed Internet Under Social Plan
Vulnerable households in the south of the Dominican Republic are now online over fiber optic for RD$299 a month. The regulator estimates users will save RD$926 million.
Key points
- southern localities are now connected to fixed internet via fiber optic in the first phase.
- As of October 2026, 20,802 households are connected, 18,380 of them vulnerable.
- The social plan costs RD$299 a month and offers 30 Mbps download speed.
- Estimated savings for social plan users total RD$926 million over six years.
The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) has connected 71 localities in the southern region of the country to fixed internet via fiber optic. The connection is part of the first phase of the project "Deployment and Operation of Access Networks in Selected Localities," which covers 24 municipalities and 47 municipal districts.
The phase was carried out with an investment of US$19,246,478.94 and will benefit up to 40,000 households and 343 public institutions. As of October 2026, the project has 20,802 connected households. Of these, 18,380 are vulnerable households that access 30 Mbps internet through a social plan costing RD$299 per month. The remaining 2,422 households use regular commercial plans. In addition, 145 public institutions receive free 50 Mbps internet.
Guido Gómez Mazara, president of Indotel's Board of Directors, said connectivity is key to guaranteeing equal opportunities and reducing social gaps. "Technology must be placed at the service of the people, and I would add, of the most fragile sectors of society," he said.
Senator for Azua Lía Díaz said the expansion will allow more remote communities to access information, education, and development. Provincial governor Sahiana Quezada said fiber optic will help strengthen local businesses and the region's economic and social growth.
Indotel estimates that social plan users will save approximately RD$926 million over the project's six years. That estimate compares the subsidized rate with the commercial cost of an equivalent service.
The second phase will extend connectivity to another 76 localities, with an investment of US$12,832,283.05. The goal is to benefit 24,729 households with the same social plan. Across both phases, the project exceeds US$32 million, covers 147 localities, and provides free connection to 488 public institutions.
Why it matters
For families in southern Dominican communities, affordable internet can mean better access to education, jobs, and small business opportunities. It shows how the country is expanding digital access beyond its major cities.
With additional reporting from: AlMomento.net