Colombia. In a recently published news hablamos sobre el aplazamiento, for the second time, of the deadline for the mandatory implementation of the Technical Regulation for Internal Telecommunications Networks, RITEL, and although the official reason for the delay of almost two years (the regulation was published in 2013) for the implementation of this initiative is the need to carry out analysis of the costs and implications for builders, it is inevitable to think that the process is being slowed down to the detriment of users.
Germán Cortés, president of the engineering and consulting firm Insetrón, is a firm believer in the need to have this type of regulation in the country and has promoted the implementation of RITEL from his work as an instructor and lecturer for various organizations. Building Management spoke with this professional about the implications of the date change for the implementation of RITEL.
In the first place, Cortés pointed out that "the state must demand quality of infrastructure in Colombia, in which RITEL is just one more small stone, only then does progress arrive. Otherwise we will continue to be controlled by corruption and inefficiency for the benefit of a few, leaving the Colombian people subject to the backwardness that is already evident in multiple aspects."
Next, he stressed that the main impediment to the definitive implementation of the standard in a mandatory manner has been the reluctance of the builders to assume the cost of making the adjustments required by the regulation, despite the fact that these, according to the interviewee, represent about 3% of the costs of the total work and could be transferred to the end user.
"It is in the interest of the builders to continue in that legal uncertainty, because the budget allocated to the networks that RITEL demands goes directly to their usefulness," said Cortés, who also pointed out that it is important to think more about offering better functionality and operation of the projects for the end user and not exclusively in the economic gain.
Finally, it cannot be denied that end users are the most affected, "the more days pass, houses, apartments, offices and premises continue to be created without the adequate infrastructure to guarantee the efficient, impartial and equitable telecommunications service," said the interviewee.
From Building Management we will follow the evolution of this issue and we hope to also have your opinions on this matter.
