Page 109 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Examples of projects which could be funded include manufacturing and tourism businesses. Applications
upgrades to mobile infrastructure to improve access are open until 20 October. The program complements
to telehealth, remote education, and retail internet the government’s National Broadband Network and
and phone services; or developing enterprise-grade Mobile Black Spot Program.
broadband networks to support local agricultural, (July 28, 2020) mobileworldlive.com

Austria’s second 5G auction will begin in mid-August the 2100MHz range and nine in the 1500MHz band.
and is expected to be completed by the end of next Koestinger also revealed that a total of EUR800 million
month, Minister of Agriculture Elisabeth Koestinger (USD942 million) had been awarded by the government
told press agency APA. The allocation of licenses for to subsidize the deployment of broadband networks
Austria frequencies in the 700MHz, 1500MHz and 2100MHz in Austria by the end of 2019. The funding has
bands was originally expected to take place in April enabled more than one million residents in over 1,260
but was postponed in March due to the COVID-19 municipalities to benefit from high speed services.
pandemic. A total of 27 blocks will be up for sale, (August 10, 2020) commsupdate.com
including six blocks in the 700MHz band, twelve in

Telecoms regulator the Belgian Institute for Postal in the North Sea from 40MHz (3430MHz-3450MHz
Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) has begun a and 3530MHz-3550MHz) to 100MHz of contiguous
public consultation on plans to grant operator Citymesh spectrum (3410MHz-3510MHz). The BIPT has issued
additional temporary user rights in the 3.5GHz band for a draft decision granting the request, provided that
Belgium its offshore network in the North Sea. The operator, future onshore networks are not disrupted, and has
which is mainly active in the B2B market, industrial given interested parties until 16 September to submit
areas of Flanders and offshore wind farms, submitted a their comments.
request in February to extend its allocated frequencies (August 20, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Regulatory Authority of Bermuda (RAB) has input to the RA prior to making its final determination.’
approved the issuance of Integrated Communication TeleGeography notes that Horizon Communications,
Operating Licenses (ICOLs) to two new recipients – which will operate under the banner Wave Bermuda,
Paradise Mobile and Horizon Communications (Wave is a start-up fronted by Gilbert Darrell which claims
Bermuda Bermuda) – to establish, construct, and operate one to have ‘built a highly detailed technical plan with a
or more electronic communication network(s) and team that has extensive experience in technology and
provide services on an integrated basis in Bermuda. In telecommunications’. It aims to provide broadband
addition, it has awarded a Submarine Communication internet services, IPTV and VoIP to residential and
Operating License (SubCol) to Cable & Wireless Network business customers via a fixed-wireless and mobile
Services (C&W) to connect submarine cables(s) to network. Meanwhile Paradise Mobile – whose directors
the network(s) of domestic ICOL operators to provide are listed as Ontario, Canada-based entrepreneurs
international connectivity services. However, in the Kareem Bikhit, Houssam Tabbara and Zlatko Zahirovic
press release dated 24 August, the regulator said: – seeks to establish a mobile network offering a range
‘In acknowledgement of the various concerns raised of pre-paid and monthly contract service plans. Finally,
about the deployment of 5G mobile technology (5G), C&W – which as part of the Liberty Latin America (LLA)
the RAB will mandate a temporary moratorium on the group operates an extensive fiber-optic submarine
deployment of 5G for all ICOL and COL holders, (existing cable network in the Caribbean – is looking to provide
and new licensees), pending the completion of a Radio Bermudan ICOL licensees with high-bandwidth leased
Frequency Study (RF Study) and the issuance of a final services, IP capacity and Ethernet.
determination … As previously stated, the RF Study will (August 26, 2020) commsupdate.com
include the opportunity for the public to provide their

109 AUGUST 2020