Page 84 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Channel Islands’ Pan Island Regulatory Body to Demerge

From July 2020 the Channel Islands Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA) demerge, the CICRA noted that a decision
Competition and Regulatory Authorities and the Guernsey Competition and to withdraw from the model of a pan island
(CICRA) will revert to being separate Regulatory Authority (GCRA) inked a body had been made by the Jersey Minister
authorities, the body has announced. As memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport
noted in TeleGeography’s GlobalComms designed to facilitate closer working & Culture, with the Guernsey Committee for
Database, the CICRA was formed between them. Now, however, in a press Economic Development having accepted
in December 2010, after the Jersey release revealing that the joint entity is to that decision.

Montenegro Eyeing 5G Rollout in 2022

Montenegro is likely to see 5G launches by this year with an eye on holding auctions have expressed interest in conducting 5G
the end of 2022, with the regulator looking in the second half of 2021. EKIP executive trials this year. The regulator hopes that
to outline a roadmap this year. Local news director Darko Grgurovic confirmed that operator trials will demonstrate potential
outlet Vijesti reports that the Agency for the government is planning to auction applications of the technology for both
Electronic Communications and Postal frequencies in the 700MHz, 3.5GHZ and consumers and businesses.
Services (EKIP) will publish its strategy 26GHz bands. He noted that operators

Spain Informs EC of Plan to Postpone 700MHz Release

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and a process known as the Second Digital when the containment measures adopted
Digital Transformation (Ministerio de Dividend. The process involves changing to deal with COVID-19 end. In any case, it
Asuntos Economicos y Transformacion the frequencies assigned to television is stated that it will be the minimum time
Digital, MINECO) has communicated to the channels in the 700MHz band, in order for required to complete the process.’ Fellow
European Commission (EC) that – due to the country’s mobile operators to use the EU countries such as France, Austria and
the exceptional situation derived from the spectrum to deploy future 5G networks. Portugal have all postponed 700MHz 5G
COVID-19 pandemic – it has decided to The Ministry notes: ‘The communication auctions in recent weeks, as a result of the
postpone the 30 June 2020 release date to the European Commission explains that pandemic.
for the 694MHz-790MHz (700MHz) band, the new date will be determined based on

China Operators Make Major RCS Commitment

China Mobile, China Telecom and China revealing in a joint statement only the group chats. In addition to clarifying the
Unicom today (8 April) released a 5G service would be included in future 5G relevant business functions and technical
messaging white paper outlining their smartphones. Users will be able to switch requirements, the operators’ white paper
commitment to mandate all compatible seamlessly between RCS and traditional suggests ideas for developing the 5G
handsets sold in the country support SMS functions. “Together with ecosystem messaging ecosystem. RCS is a GSMA-
Rich Communication Services (RCS). partners, we will start a new chapter in backed messaging platform combining
The move to adopt the GSMA’s Universal 5G messaging and further promote RCS the capabilities of SMS with OTT services.
Profile specification is backed by more applications in China,” the trio said. They GSMAi figures state 88 operators had
than 12 major hardware vendors including added RCS is necessary to support new launched RCS services as of this month,
Huawei; Xiaomi; Vivo; Oppo; ZTE; Lenovo; 5G-enabled services: the platform can with 403 million active monthly users. It
and Samsung. However, the operators did also offer features including messaging forecast the market value would hit $74
not set out a timeframe for adding RCS, over Wi-Fi, rich media sharing and billion by 2021.

84 APRIL 2020