Page 78 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

RAB Receives License Applications from Three Would-Be Entrants

The Regulatory Authority of Bermuda public and other industry players on or services, IPTV and VoIP to residential and
(RAB) has received license applications before 29 May 2020. ‘The RA proposes to business customers via a fixed-wireless
from three companies seeking to grant ICOL’s to both Horizon and Paradise. and mobile network. Meanwhile Paradise
launch services in the local market, In light of C&W’s request, the RA also Mobile – whose directors are listed as
The Royal Gazette reports. Two firms, proposes to grant a more limited COL, in Ontario, Canada-based entrepreneurs
Horizon Communications and Paradise the form of a SubCOL, to C&W,’ it confirmed Kareem Bikhit, Houssam Tabbara and
Mobile, have applied for an Integrated in a statement. The regulator hopes to Zlatko Zahirovic – seeks to establish
Communications Operating License publish its final report and issue licenses a mobile network offering a range of
(ICOL), allowing them to offer integrated by 8 July 2020. Horizon Communications, pre-paid and monthly contract service
telecoms services, while Cable & Wireless which will operate under the banner Wave plans. Finally, C&W – which as part of a
Network Services (C&W) has applied for Bermuda, is a start-up fronted by Gilbert group operates an extensive fiber-optic
a new type of sub-license – a SubCol – Darrell which claims to have ‘built a highly submarine cable network in the Caribbean
which would enable it to provide capacity detailed technical plan with a team that – is looking to provide Bermudan ICOL
from submarine cables to the island. It is has extensive experience in technology licensees with high-bandwidth leased
understood that all three applicants have and telecommunications’. With Darrell services, IP capacity and Ethernet.
qualified ‘according to its criteria’ and the looking for a fast-track from the RAB
RAB is now inviting comments from the it aims to provide broadband internet

Postponement of ITU Digital World 2020

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,
the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) and the Ministry of Information
and Communications, Vietnam have taken
the difficult decision to postpone ITU
Digital World 2020, the global tech event
for government, industry and SMEs. The
event will now take place as ITU Digital
World 2021 in September 2021 in the same
venue in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. We believe this
is the best and safest course of action
to ensure the well-being and safety of
all event participants and guarantee a
successful event. The world is facing an
unprecedented threat from COVID-19 and
ICT has become a key ally in combatting
this threat and helping to prevent, detect ever, governments, industry, international World 2021 are more important than ever
and diagnose disease. It has taken on organizations, NGOs, academia and other as a platform bringing together the global
a new importance in connecting us for stakeholders must work together to find ICT community to learn, share knowledge,
health, work, education, entertainment, mutually beneficial solutions. We must set debate and network. We must work
news, public announcements and to our ambitious, measurable goals for ensuring together to highlight the critical importance
friends and families. For the first time, an equitable transition to the digital age. of ICT in the wake of COVID-19, address
digital solutions and platforms are being The SDGs offer an ideal framework for the stark inequalities of access and adopt
used on a massive scale to help cope with this, and ICTs themselves are essential concrete, urgent measures to accelerate
and respond to a pandemic. The COVID-19 tools for the achievement of these goals. digital transformation across all sectors
crisis has also, however, highlighted its The Government of Viet Nam and ITU and to connect all global citizens to digital
own digital divide, where many families, call upon global leaders, governments services. Only by international cooperation
workers, businesses and populations are and the tech industry to ensure they are and collaborative action will we be able
not able to access or afford the benefits present and fully engaged, to rise to the to combat these types of threat, close the
of digital technology. Action is urgently challenge and strengthen the multilateral, digital divide and build strong foundations
needed to ensure a fair access to ICTs, collective digital response to this crisis. for the future wellbeing of all.
for the benefit of all. Now, more than International events such as ITU Digital

78 APRIL 2020