According to Art. 98 of the Organic Law on Communication, all the advertising that is disseminated in Ecuadorian territory through the media must be produced in Ecuadorian territory by Ecuadorian natural persons or foreigners residing in Ecuador or produced abroad by Ecuadorian persons residing abroad or foreign legal entities whose ownership of the majority of the share package corresponds to Ecuadorians and whose payroll for its realisation and production is made up of at least 80% of Ecuadorian nationals. In addition, the importation of advertising pieces produced outside the country by foreign companies is prohibited, with the exception of what is established regarding foreign legal entities, with a majority of shares owned by Ecuadorians. According to the same article, advertising production is understood as television and movie commercials, radio spots, photographs for static advertising, or any other audiovisual piece used for advertising purposes.
Art. 55 of the General Regulations of the Organic Law on Communication clarifies that "national" advertisements encompass those produced in countries with which Ecuador has signed an integration treaty. Although the regulation does not explicitly define what constitutes an integration treaty, it has been reported that the private sector interprets this provision as a relaxation of the advertising rules stipulated by the Law. This interpretation suggests that advertising produced in member countries of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) — comprising Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia — as well as the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) — including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname — may be disseminated within Ecuador.

Art. 10 of the Regulation on the Approval and Certification of Telecommunications Terminal Equipment establishes that applicants possessing a type‑approval certificate issued by an international body recognised by the Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (ARCOTEL) need only attach that certificate to their application, with no further requirements. General Provision Two identifies the categories of terminal equipment requiring type approval, including devices for advanced mobile services (mobile telephones or other devices equipped with an IMEI that connect to the networks of advanced mobile service operators), carrier services, fixed telephony, satellite telecommunications, wireless Internet access (excluding computers and other indirect‑access devices), as well as equipment used in trunked and community communication systems. General Provision Three lists the international organisations recognised for type‑approval purposes, such as ANATEL, BIS, CMIIT, the European Community through Declarations of Conformity, ETSI, the FCC, KATS, Taiwan’s NCC, and Canada’s CEBIC.

Ecuador maintains a telecommunications regulatory authority, the Agency for the Regulation of Telecommunications (ARCOTEL). However, reports indicate that the decision-making processes of this body are not entirely independent from governmental influence. Established under Art. 142 of the 2015 Organic Law of Telecommunications, ARCOTEL is institutionally linked to the Ministry of Telecommunications and the Information Society (MINTEL). According to Arts. 145 and 146.8, the board of directors of ARCOTEL, which is responsible for appointing its executive director, is composed of the Minister of Telecommunications, the Secretary of Planning, and a representative designated by the President of the Republic. This governance structure may compromise the agency’s institutional independence.

Chapter IX of the Organic Law on the Protection of Personal Data stipulates that personal data may be transferred internationally provided that adequate levels of protection are ensured. In instances where the international transfer does not guarantee such protection, the transfer may nevertheless proceed if the data controller or processor offer appropriate safeguards for the data subject. In addition, entities responsible for the processing of personal data may submit binding corporate rules to the Personal Data Protection Authority for approval. In all other cases not covered by the aforementioned provisions, transfers can occur with prior authorisation from the Authority or in other limited circumstances, including where the data subject has provided their explicit consent.
Chapter XII of the Regulation of the Organic Law on the Protection of Personal Data further elaborates on these requirements.

Art. 10.11.2 of the Economic Complementation Agreement No. 75 between the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Ecuador provides that each Party shall permit the cross-border transfer of information by electronic means, including personal information, where such activity is for the conduct of the business of a person of a Party. In addition, Art. 10.12.2 states that a Party may not require a person of the other Party to use or locate computer facilities in the territory of that Party as a condition of doing business in that territory.

The Organic Law on the Protection of Personal Data establishes a comprehensive framework for data protection in Ecuador. The Ecuadorian Data Protection Superintendency (SPDP) serves as the regulatory authority under this Law. In addition, several sector-specific legal instruments govern data protection within particular domains, including the labour, telecommunications, and financial sectors.

Ecuador has a clear regime of exceptions to copyright that follows fair use, which allows the lawful use of copyrighted works by third parties without the need to obtain permission. Art. 211 of the Organic Code of the Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation follows the fair use model for copyright exceptions and establishes five factors for the determination of fair use:
- The purposes and nature of the use;
- The nature of the work;
- The amount and importance of the part used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole;
- The impact of the use on the current and potential market value of the work; and
- The possession and effective exercise of other fundamental rights.
In addition, Ecuador is a member of the Andean Community of Nations and is subject to Decision 351, issued in 1993. Art. 22 of the Decision establishes a list of mandatory exceptions in the domestic market but also allows the adoption of additional exceptions in the domestic law of the members, as long as they comply with the international standards of the so-called three-step test.

It is reported that the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the face of extensive counterfeiting and piracy remains weak, including in the online sphere. Despite some increases in enforcement activity, Ecuador is understood to require additional measures to address persistent concerns regarding online piracy. For example, although the National Assembly amended Ecuador’s Penal Code in 2023 and created a regulatory framework enabling undercover agents to investigate digital conduct, the implementing regulations necessary to give effect to these reforms have not yet been approved. Furthermore, Ecuador currently has only one specialised cybercrime prosecutor. The country has also been encouraged to ensure that all government ministries make use of licensed software.

Ecuador has adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Ecuador has adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

The Organic Code on the Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation, together with the Organic Law on Regulation Against Unfair Competition, establishes a robust framework for the effective protection of trade secrets. The protection of commercial secrets is also recognised in Andean Community Decision No. 486.

There is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Ecuador to deliver telecom services to end users. It is practised both in the mobile and fixed sectors. The Organic Communication Law and complementary technical regulations are the theoretical frameworks for passive infrastructure sharing in Ecuador. According to Art. 3 of the Technical Standard for Shared Use of Physical Infrastructure of the General Telecommunications Regime Services, services providers related to the telecommunications sector have the obligation to share their physical infrastructure.

According to Art. 313 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador 2008, the State reserves the right to administer, regulate, control, and manage strategic sectors, including telecommunications. Furthermore, according to Arts. 316 of the Constitution of the State and Art. 14 of the Organic Law of Telecommunications, public telecommunications services are provided directly by the State, through public telecommunications companies, or indirectly through delegation to mixed economy companies in which it has a majority shareholding.

The Corporación Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (National Corporation of Telecommunications) is the dominant provider of fixed telecommunication services and is fully owned by the Ecuadorian Government. It was created by Executive Decree No. 218, which specifically establishes that the Ministry of Telecommunications and the Information Society, representing the State, is the sole shareholder.
La Empresa Pública Municipal de Telecomunicaciones, Agua Potable, Alcantarillado y Saneamiento de Cuenca (Etapa EP, Municipal Public Company of Telecommunications, Drinking Water, Sewage and Sanitation of Cuenca), created by a January 2010 ordinance, is another case in which the telecom operator is a state-owned enterprise. Initially created in February 1948 as Empresa Municipal de Electricidad, Agua Potable y Teléfonos (EMLAT), ETAPA EP provides municipal internet and fixed, wireless and public telephone services.

It is reported that Ecuador does not mandate functional separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. However, it is reported that there is an obligation of accounting separation.