Page 96 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

FCC Proposes USD20.4Bn Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

The Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) has unveiled plans to establish a
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which
will commit at least USD20.4 billion over
the next decade to support high speed
broadband networks in rural America.
The program will be two-pronged: Phase
I will target those areas that current data
confirms are wholly unserved, while Phase
II will target those areas that are partially
served as well as any areas not won in the
first phase. The watchdog believes that at
least four million rural homes and small
businesses lack a modern broadband
service.

EU Approves Greek Rural Broadband Rollout

The Greek government has secured EU approval to proceed with country. The project will be funded by the European Regional
a EUR300 million (USD334 million) scheme to roll out ultrafast Development Fund (ERDF), the European Agricultural Fund for
broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas of the Rural Development and private investors. The scheme will target
regions where there is currently no access to broadband at speeds
of 30Mbps or above and will look to deploy networks offering
connectivity at download rates of between 100Mbps and 1Gbps.
The open access infrastructure will be available to all operators
on a non-discriminatory basis. EU Competition Commissioner
Margrethe Vestager commented: ‘With this decision, the
Commission endorses the use of EU funds for the development
of ultra-fast internet in areas of Greece where private investment
is insufficient. This is an important step for competitiveness and
innovation in Greece as well as for social and territorial cohesion,
enabling Greek households and businesses to benefit fully from
the Digital Single Market.’

Slovakia Opens Consultation into Spectrum Auction

Slovakia’s Regulatory Office (Regulacny ranges will be suitable for 5G services, the currently only has access to 1800MHz
Urad, RU) has opened a consultation into RU says. At present, sub-1GHz spectrum spectrum – or an entirely new operator.
its terms for awarding wireless spectrum is held only by the country’s three largest Winning bidders must begin utilizing
in the 700MHz, 900MHz, 1500MHz and cellcos – Slovak Telekom (ST), Orange frequencies in the 700MHz and 1500MHz
1800MHz bands. The watchdog wants to and O2 – and the watchdog is favoring ranges within two years of receiving their
auction 2×30MHz at 700MHz, 2×4MHz at the entry of a new player in the 700MHz licenses, while a time limit of six months
900MHz, 18 blocks of 5MHz in the 1500MHz range in order to encourage competition. will apply to the other two bands.
range and 2×9MHz in the 1800MHz band. This could come in the form of either
Frequencies in the 700MHz and 1500MHz fourth cellco SWAN Mobile (4ka) – which

96 AUGUST 2019