Page 103 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

lines rose in 2018 to around JD36 million, he added, saying most technology sector posted a 1 per cent increase compared to 2017,
investments were used to update the fiber optics network. The and it reached 4,045, Jbour said.
number of workers in the telecommunications and information (August 6, 2019) jordantimes.com

Kuwait

The Communication and Information Technology Regulatory data movement worldwide. “The presence of the AWS Middle East
Authority (CITRA), which is responsible for the country’s IT sector Region opens up new prospects for companies and government
and technology adoption in the government, has welcomed the organizations to serve customers in the region, contributing to
launch of the new AWS Middle East Region in Bahrain as an the enhancement of infrastructure, digitization, connectivity and
important step in the security of cloud computing. Salem Muthib customer experience. “Our significant work with AWS supports
Al-Athainah, Chairman and CEO of CITRA, said: “We welcome the CITRA’s strategy of transforming Kuwait into a regional ICT hub,
launch of the new AWS Middle East Region as an important step and the digitization of the Kuwaiti economy, and we look forward
in bringing reliable and secure cloud computing technologies to continue to build on that while leveraging the new AWS Middle
closer to end-users in the Middle East. This launch underlines the East Region in Bahrain.”
important location of the Middle East as a center to the global (August 21, 2019) intelligentcio.com

Morocco

Maroc Telecom has signed its sixth investment agreement the three-year period 2019-2021, focusing on developing and
with the Moroccan government for the development of strengthening infrastructure, deployment of mobile/fixed high
telecommunications in the Kingdom, it announced on its group speed broadband services and the creation of new jobs. Maroc
website. Under the agreement, the full-service telco committed Telecom invested more than MAD58 billion over the previous five
to an investment program of MAD10 billion (USD1.03 billion) over investment agreement periods. (August 27, 2019) telegeography.com

Nepal

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has revoked the a total of 25,554 LMS and 2,984 WiLL subscribers.
license of Nepal Satellite Telecom (NST) following the company’s (August 20, 2019) The Himalayan Times
failure to pay NPR70 million (USD607,000) in outstanding
royalties and renewal fees by the 18 August deadline, reports The The telecoms regulator, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Himalayan Times citing NTA Chairman Purshottam Khanal. NST, (NTA), has threatened to issue a license to a foreign firm due
which owes the regulator almost NPR1 billion in unpaid fees and to concerns about a lack of competition and investment in the
other liabilities, has the right to appeal the decision within 35 days telecoms market. The market is currently dominated by three
beginning 18 August. The regulator noted it had been forced to operators, namely Nepal Telecom, Ncell and Smart Telecom.
take such action in order to encourage license holders to honor Mr Khanal warned that the regulator will rescind the license of
their financial commitments and expand their services. NST was any firm that has failed to develop telecom services and award
first issued with a Basic Telecommunications Service licence in it to a foreign operator. This could affect companies such
2008, enabling it to operate limited mobility services (LMS) and United Telecom and Nepal Satellite Telecom, which have failed
WiLL fixed-wireless services in the rural areas of mid-western to introduce services or expand them nationwide and also owe
region of Nepal, although the company failed to realize its plan to significant amounts in unpaid fees and taxes.
expand services nationwide. As of mid-December 2018, NST had (August 8, 2019) The Himalayan Times

103 AUGUST 2019