Dominican Republic 915-928 MHz Low-Power Device Rules Finalized

Dominican Republic 915-928 MHz: INDOTEL Finalizes Low-Power Device Rules for IoT, FHSS and RFID Equipment

The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) has adopted the final operating rules for low-power and industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment in the 915-928 MHz band. Resolution No. 074-2026, approved by the INDOTEL Board of Directors (Consejo Directivo) on August 27, 2026, establishes the frequency ranges, EIRP limits and emission conditions for IoT, telemetry, smart metering, RFID and similar short-range devices.

The resolution completes a process that began earlier this year and gives manufacturers a defined technical target for the Dominican market. Equipment may operate under a generic licence, without individual spectrum authorization, but INDOTEL equipment homologation remains mandatory.

Regulatory Background

The 915-928 MHz band was opened for ISM use by the Dominican Republic's new National Frequency Allocation Plan (Plan Nacional de Atribución de Frecuencias, PNAF), approved by Decree No. 99-26 on February 13, 2026. National footnote DOM2AA added 915-928 MHz to the list of bands designated for ICM (the Spanish-language equivalent of ISM) applications, subject to parameters and power limits to be set by INDOTEL.

Until now, those parameters did not exist. The operating conditions for generic-licence ICM equipment are contained in Article 26 of the General Regulation on Use of the Radio Spectrum (Resolution 034-2020), which does not cover this band. Rather than wait for a broader revision of that regulation, INDOTEL chose to issue a standalone resolution to enable the band promptly.

On June 11, 2026, INDOTEL issued Resolution 051-2026, placing draft parameters under public consultation for 20 business days. Resolution 074-2026 is the final outcome of that process.

Dominican Republic 915-928 MHz Power Limits Under Resolution 074-2026

The final rules set power limits by device category and transmission technology rather than by indoor and outdoor use. All values are expressed as equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP).

Device category	Permitted frequency range	Maximum EIRP
General low-power devices	915-928 MHz	100 mW
Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or digitally modulated systems	915-928 MHz	1 W
Industrial and commercial RFID systems	920-926 MHz only	4 W, where necessary for satisfactory operation (indoor or outdoor)

Additional technical conditions

• FHSS systems must use a minimum of 20 hopping frequencies.

• Digitally modulated systems must not exceed a peak radiated power spectral density of 25 mW per 3 kHz.

• RFID systems operating at the higher power allowance are subject to unwanted-emission limits.

  
  

Changes from the draft consultation

The final text differs from the June draft in ways that matter for product design. The draft proposed a simple split: 100 mW EIRP for indoor devices and up to 1 W transmit power / 4 W EIRP (referenced to a 6 dBi antenna) for outdoor IoT, telemetry, smart metering, RFID and industrial equipment. The final resolution instead reserves the 4 W EIRP ceiling for industrial and commercial RFID, and only within the narrower 920-926 MHz segment. FHSS and digitally modulated IoT systems, including LPWAN technologies, are capped at 1 W EIRP across 915-928 MHz.

Generic Licence and Homologation Requirements

Under the generic licence model, devices may use the 915-928 MHz band without an individual frequency licence or specific authorization. The band is shared and non-exclusive, and its use provides no protection against harmful interference.

The generic licence covers spectrum use only. It does not exempt equipment from INDOTEL homologation. Every radio device placed on the Dominican market must still be homologated, and its configuration must comply with the frequency range, power level and emission requirements applicable to its category.

What This Means for Manufacturers

Band scope is the primary design constraint. The Dominican Republic authorizes only 915-928 MHz, the upper 13 MHz of the 902-928 MHz band used in the United States and much of the Americas. Devices designed for the full FCC Part 15 range must be configurable, firmware-locked or supplied as a regional variant that does not transmit below 915 MHz. In this respect, the Dominican framework is closer to Australia's AU915 arrangement than to the U.S. model.

UHF RFID readers face a narrower window at high power. Industrial and commercial RFID readers may operate at up to 4 W EIRP, but only between 920 and 926 MHz. Readers with channel plans spanning 902-928 MHz, or even the full 915-928 MHz segment, will need a dedicated Dominican Republic channel profile to use the higher power allowance. Outside 920-926 MHz, RFID equipment falls under the lower limits applicable to its technology.

LPWAN and sub-GHz IoT devices are limited to 1 W EIRP. Under the draft, outdoor IoT equipment could reach 4 W EIRP. In the final rules, FHSS and digitally modulated systems such as LoRa, proprietary sub-GHz links and smart-meter mesh networks are capped at 1 W EIRP. Designs combining high conducted power with high-gain antennas should be reassessed.

Test reports must demonstrate category-specific parameters. Homologation dossiers should clearly show the operating frequency range, EIRP, number of hopping channels (for FHSS) and power spectral density (for digital modulation). Reports prepared for FCC or other markets may need supplementary measurements or declarations aligned with the Dominican limits.

Interference risk remains with the operator. Because the band is shared without protection, system integrators deploying telemetry or smart-metering networks should plan for coexistence with other users.

There is no transition period. Resolution 074-2026 does not establish a separate effective date or phase-in. Manufacturers with pending or planned Dominican Republic homologations for 915-928 MHz equipment should align their applications with the final parameters now.

Certification Impact Summary

Area	Impact
Regulatory instrument	INDOTEL Board Resolution No. 074-2026 (final), adopted August 27, 2026
Legal basis	PNAF approved by Decree No. 99-26 (February 13, 2026), footnote DOM2AA
Authorization model	Generic licence; no individual frequency licence required
Permitted band	915-928 MHz (902-915 MHz not included)
General low-power devices	Max. 100 mW EIRP
FHSS / digitally modulated systems	Max. 1 W EIRP; min. 20 hopping frequencies (FHSS); PSD max. 25 mW/3 kHz (digital modulation)
Industrial and commercial RFID	Max. 4 W EIRP, 920-926 MHz only; unwanted-emission limits apply
Interference protection	None; shared, non-exclusive use
Homologation	Still mandatory with INDOTEL
Affected products	UHF RFID readers, LoRa/LPWAN modules, sub-GHz IoT radios, telemetry and smart metering equipment
Transition period	None specified
Market access impact	Type approval and spectrum management

Timeline and Required Actions

Date / period	Milestone	Required action
February 13, 2026	Decree No. 99-26 approves the new PNAF; 915-928 MHz designated for ICM (ISM) use	Note the new band designation for Dominican market planning
June 11, 2026	INDOTEL Resolution 051-2026 opens public consultation on draft parameters	Review the draft and assess product impact (completed)
Consultation window (20 business days)	Stakeholder comments submitted to INDOTEL	Closed
August 27, 2026	INDOTEL adopts final Resolution No. 074-2026	Compare product configurations against the final limits
30 business days from notification or official publication	Administrative or judicial appeal period	Monitor for appeals; this is not a compliance grace period
Immediately	Final operating parameters apply to new 915-928 MHz equipment	Restrict devices to 915-928 MHz; configure RFID high-power operation to 920-926 MHz; verify EIRP, hopping and PSD compliance; update test reports and homologation dossiers
Ongoing	INDOTEL spectrum monitoring and homologation review	Maintain technical documentation consistent with the approved configuration

Key Takeaways

The Dominican Republic 915-928 MHz rules give IoT, telemetry and RFID manufacturers a clear, internationally aligned path to market under a generic licence. However, the final resolution is more restrictive than the draft in two key areas: the 4 W EIRP allowance is limited to RFID in 920-926 MHz, and all other FHSS and digitally modulated systems are capped at 1 W EIRP. With no transition period and homologation still required, manufacturers should confirm that their Dominican Republic product variants match the final parameters before submitting or renewing applications.