Page 82 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TRAI Demands Prepaid Data as Lockdown Extended

India’s regulator pressed operators for details of prepaid after the government extended the stay-home period, The Times
subscribers’ usage during a COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown, of India reported. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
seeking to determine what benefits should continue to be offered (TRAI) wants the data to establish usage patterns during the
three-week lockdown period, which was due to expire tomorrow
(17 April) but has since been kept in place until 3 May. There are
concerns some prepaid users had been unable to top-up prior
to the implementation of the lockdown, with TRAI also seeking
data on how many ran out of credit during the period along with
the number receiving free credit under operator schemes to keep
people connected. The newspaper said TRAI had contacted
Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel, along with state-
run operators BNSL and MTNL. After reviewing the data, TRAI will
work out the measures required to ensure prepaid subscribers can
stay connected during the latest lockdown, it stated. TRAI also
asked the companies to extend the validity of all prepaid accounts
until at least 3 May: Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel
made such moves when the original stay-home order was issued.

Macau SIM Registration Ends

Macau’s Post and Telecommunications details. Any accounts suspended after mainland China to sign up for services in
Bureau (Correios e Telecomunicacoes, Sunday can be re-activated if registration Macau and benefit from cheaper calling
CTT) has reminded pre-paid SIM card is then completed before 16 October, at rates between all three territories. As a
users that they have until Sunday 19 which date all SIM cards not verified will result, Macau now has the highest cellular
April to register their accounts or face be deactivated permanently. Macau has penetration rate in the world, with the
suspension of services. Under the Cyber seen a sharp rise in mobile subscriber territory being home to more than four
Security Law No. 13/2019 which was numbers in recent months due to the times as many wireless accounts as there
implemented in December, pre-paid users growing popularity of cross-border tariffs are permanent residents.
were given 120 days to register their which allow users based in Hong Kong or

DIGI Continues Its Protest against 5G Auction Exclusion

Digi Communications, the Romanian- bidding application rejected by the NMHH group is now ‘even more determined to
owned parent group of Hungarian fixed in September 2019 for failing to meet continue the legal steps to challenge the
and mobile operator DIGI, has issued a eligibility criteria. Serghei Bulgac, CEO unfair exclusion from this auction’ and
statement decrying the recent decision of of Digi Communications, said the group that it ‘requests the Authority to annul
Hungary’s telecoms regulator to complete was ‘deeply disappointed by the decision the decision announced on Thursday,
the country’s 5G mobile auction while of the NMHH’ and highlighted that a final to resume the procedure and to assume
excluding DIGI from the proceedings. The court verdict was awaited regarding Digi’s the role of an equal arbitrator in the
National Media & Infocommunications petition to suspend the auction procedure, communications market’. Meanwhile,
Authority (Nemzeti Media- es Hirkozlesi adding that the group considers that ‘by DIGI (Hungary) is continuing its 4G mobile
Hatosag, NMHH) awarded Magyar discouraging competition and blocking network rollout, having reported recently
Telekom, Telenor Hungary and Vodafone access to a fourth mobile operator on the on its website that it made its DIGIMobil
Hungary 15-year licenses including 5G spectrum, the Authority drastically reduces services available in 42 additional
spectrum in the 700MHz and 3600MHz the chances of consumers purchasing settlements, taking the total on-net
bands on 26 March despite a pending legal basic services at competitive prices’. The footprint to 529 cities and municipalities.
action from DIGI, which had its licence statement furthermore asserted that the

82 APRIL 2020