Page 103 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The government of Niger has announced the award of last year. Zamani Com is wholly owned by Mohamed
a 4G license to operator Zamani Com. The award of the Rissa of Rimbo Invest and Moctar Thiam of Greenline
15-year license for the establishment and operation of Communications, both minority shareholders of Orange
a 4G network to Zamani Com, the new owner of mobile Niger. The company’s services were to continue to be
operator Orange Niger, makes it the second operator in marketed under the Orange brand during a transition
Niger, after Airtel, the local subsidiary of Indian giant period. In its press announcement at the time, Orange
Bharti Airtel, to plan to offer 4G in the country. The said that the Africa and Middle East region remained
announcement also notes that Zamani Com’s existing a strategic priority for the Orange Group. “However,”
2G and 3G licenses have been renewed for a further 15 it added, “the market environment in Niger has led
years. According to local press reports the total cost Orange to make this decision responsibly, prioritizing
will be around $19.7 million for the new 4G/LTE license. business continuity for the benefit of the company’s
The 2G and 3G renewals will cost around $47 million. customers and protecting the interests of the women
Orange completed the sale of its entire 95.5 per cent and men working at Orange Niger.”
stake in Orange Niger to Zamani Com in November (April 7, 2020) developingtelecoms.com

The National Communications Authority (Nasjonal The National Communications Authority (Nasjonal
kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) has launched kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) has announced
a consultation regarding the possible future use of that an additional NOK150 million (USD14.6 million)
spectrum which is currently available in the 410MHz- is being made available by the government to support
430MHz range. In a press release announcing the the rollout of broadband services in those areas of the
Norway consultation, the regulator noted that there is currently country not considered commercially profitable. In a
2×1.8MHz free (410.8MHz-412.6MHz/420.8MHz- press release the regulator noted that in its ordinary
422.6MHz), and as such it is looking to gauge interest state budget, the government had earmarked NOK256
in these frequency resources. Having suggested that million for rural broadband development in fiscal 2020,
one option would be to devote most of the available but has now increased that figure by NOK150 million
spectrum to mobile communication, the Nkom has as part of economic measures designed to address the
called for feedback, while asking specifically for potential consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
comments on several points, including whether it would While the Nkom had previously managed the state
be appropriate to divide the frequency band and make broadband scheme, in November 2019 it was revealed
the spectrum available on a region-by-region basis. A that from 2020 county municipalities would take over
deadline of 29 May 2020 has been set for submissions the responsibility of managing broadband funding. For
from interested parties, and the regulator has said its part, the regulator continues to have an active role in
that following the consultation it will make a decision offering guidance regarding the use of allocated funds,
regarding how the available spectrum resources will be and on issues regarding state aid regulations and
allocated. rules on third party access. It also continues to gather
(April 17, 2020) commsupdate.com statistics on the development of broadband networks
that results from state funds. (April 8, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Transport and Communications obligations. In a related development, meanwhile,
(Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones, MTC) the MTC confirmed several measures it has taken to
has praised a private RAN sharing agreement between address the changing role of the sector during the
cellcos Movistar Peru and Entel Peru. In a statement COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, the ministry issued
Peru the ministry said that the pact would help maximize a decree (Emergency Decree No. 035-2020) requiring
telcos to priorities telecommunications traffic from
the use of existing resources and encouraged further
sharing agreements. Such measure allow for more public entities, in particularly those in the health sector,
efficient use of infrastructure that has already been to prevent vital communications being slowed by the
deployed, the MTC went on, adding that it would also increasing use of networks for tele-work, tele-education
enable companies to improve coverage, capacity and leisure activities. The decree obliges telcos to
and service quality of their mobile services. However, provide better access to telecommunications services
the ministry stressed that both companies must still to the government ministries involved in combating
comply with the terms of their licenses and other the pandemic, including those for the interior, defence
obligations, adding that the RAN sharing agreement and education. Separately, the MTC is working with the
did not exempt either party from the fulfilment of those education ministry to help deliver online schooling.

103 APRIL 2020