Page 100 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Telecoms regulator the National Communications month period to ‘help reduce pressure on their
Authority (NCA) has temporarily granted Vodafone and networks’, which are ‘bearing the brunt’ of the surge in
MTN Ghana additional spectrum to help them cope demand. She also appealed to the public to moderate
with a significant increase in internet traffic during their data usage in order to alleviate the pressure on
Ghana the country’s COVID-19 lockdown, reports Ghana Web telecoms providers. The two MNOs provide mobile
services using frequencies in the 800MHz, 900MHz,
citing Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
According to the Minister, the additional spectrum 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, while MTN also uses
has been granted to the country’s two largest mobile the 2600MHz band for LTE-A services.
network operators (MNOs) at no cost for a three- (April 15, 2020) commsupdate.com

Hungary’s Government Informatics Development plus networks between 6 May and 11 June 2020. The
Agency (KIFU) under the Ministry of Innovation & statement adds that ‘investments can be supported
Technology disclosed on its website the latest call for with up to HUF5 million to HUF1.5 billion [USD15,000
proposals for EU/state-funded high speed broadband to USD4.61 million) per district.’ the government kicked
Hungary network rollouts under the country’s Superfast Internet off the SZIP2 program in January 2019 with the target
of spreading 100Mbps-plus network coverage to 90%
Program 2 (SZIP2). Focusing on 100Mbps-plus fiber
access deployments, the government has identified the of households by 2025, with emphasis on gigabit-
current need for expansion and upgrade of networks capable fiber-optics alongside 5G fixed-wireless/
for 62,000 households in 72 districts. Companies can mobile infrastructure.
register their applications for constructing 100Mbps- (April 20, 2020) commsupdate.com

Iceland’s telecoms watchdog the Post and Telecom population in Blonduos, Thorlakshofn and Egilsstadir;
Administration (PTA, or Post-og Fjarskiptastofnun Nova (Hellu, Sandgerdi and Vestmannaeyjum); and
[PFS]) has awarded 5G spectrum to three operators Vodafone Iceland (Hvolsvelli, Siglufirdi and Grindavik).
– Siminn, Nova and Vodafone Iceland (Syn) – with (April 30, 2020) commsupdate.com
Iceland the concessions valid until 31 December 2021. The Iceland’s Appellate Committee for Telecommunications
allocations in the 3.6GHz band are as follows:
• Siminn: block B3600 (3500MHz-3600MHz) and Postal Affairs (Urskurdarnefnd Fjarskipta- og
• Nova: block C3600 (3600MHz-3700MHz) Postmala, or UFP) has ratified the Post and Telecom
• Vodafone Iceland (Syn): block D3600 (3700MHz- Administration’s (PTA’s) Decision No. 18/2019 from
3800MHz). 23 August 2019 revoking Yellow Mobile’s frequency
The regulator highlighted that the remaining 100MHz allocation in the 2600MHz band. The PTA took its
in the band would be distributed at a later stage, as the decision to cancel the airwaves due to the company’s
PTA will first monitor the development of 5G networks failure to start utilizing the concession within the
and the supply of 5G services in the near-term. The stipulated timeframe (by 7 July 2018). Despite an
PTA said that the renewal of the three concessions extension of the Yellow Mobile deadline to 1 November
will depend on whether the companies have used the 2018, the company failed to fulfil its obligations and the
assigned frequencies in accordance with the PTA’s company’s frequency license was revoked. For its part,
criteria. According to PTA’s terms and conditions, 5G the company claimed that it had fulfilled the conditions
services should be available to 25% of the population regarding the use of the frequency spectrum as it had
(via at least 30 mobile sites) by the end of 2021. In set up one transmitter on Sudurlandsbraut on 12 June
particular, Siminn is required to provide 5G services 2019, in collaboration with Siminn.
with minimum downlink of 200Mbps to 90% of the (April 6, 2020) commsupdate.com

Sector watchdog the Telecom Regulatory Authority of (AGR) applied to that spectrum band and circle.
India (TRAI) has published a consultation paper on the The TRAI notes that, as it is not possible to monitor
applications of spectrum usage charges (SUCs) with the quantum of spectrum being shared at each site
regards to spectrum sharing. Under the current rules and segregate the AGR on a site by site basis, the
India operators are permitted to share spectrum provided licensees are assumed to be sharing the entirety of
that they both hold frequencies in that band, with an
their spectrum in the specific band and circle. In early
incremental SUC of 0.5% of Adjusted Gross Revenue 2020, however, the Department of Telecommunications

100 APRIL 2020