Page 69 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

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No Roaming Charges between Central African Countries in 2021

First agreed back in February, the six countries of the CEMAC should also begin to encourage the national telcos to work
have confirmed that they will abolish roaming changes between together across borders, particularly when it comes to accessing
their territories, beginning at the start of 2021. The countries – subsea cables around the Gulf of Guinea.
Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and Central
African Republic – have been in discussions on this topic for many
years, with similar agreements being struck across the continent
in recent years. For example, a union of Western African countries,
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had
agreed to remove roaming fees for its 15 members back in 2017.
Finally confirmed, the roaming agreement will allow nationals of
any of the CEMAC countries to visit these other selected nations
without fear of expensive calls and texts. “The Council welcomes
this decision, which contributes to the densification of the
integration of peoples within CEMAC, in that it aims to facilitate the
mobility of populations through Information and Communication
Technologies, reducing communication costs," said a statement
from the Union économique de l'Afrique centrale. This agreement

Roaming Fees Between Argentina And Chile To Be Scrapped

Roaming charges for mobile users in November 2017, when a bilateral trade report notes that the scrapping of roaming
travelling between Argentina and Chile will agreement between the two countries charges was initially scheduled to take
be abolished from 29 August, La Nacion was signed. The reciprocal agreement effect in 2019 and then postponed until 1
reports. The elimination of roaming fees was designed to promote investment and May 2020 but will finally come into effect
was one of the main points discussed back the exchange of goods and services. The at the end of this month.

ANCOM Cuts FTRs

Romania’s National Authority for new rate was determined following the operators designated by ANCOM as
Management and Regulation in update of several parameters in the pure having significant market power, and cover
Communications (ANCOM) has announced Long-Run Incremental Cost (LRIC) cost national calls and those made to and from
that fixed termination rates (FTRs) calculation model (the method used for the European Economic Area (EEA), unless
will be reduced by 30% to EUR0.00098 setting the current tariff) and of the cost existing international agreements allow
with effect from 1 November 2020. The of capital. The rate will apply to wireline different charges to be imposed.

Icelandic Regulator Proposes 2% Cut in Mobile Termination Cost in 2021

Iceland's Post and Telecom Administration for termination on fixed networks will the EFTA Surveillance Agency (ESA). The
(PTA) said it is proposing a 2 percent drop remain unchanged. Interested parties have current prices for call termination are ISK
in the price for mobile call termination in until 31 August to submit comments, after 1.02 per minute on mobile networks but
2021 to ISK 1.00 per minute, but the price which the PTA will send draft proposals to ISK 0.12 per minute on fixed ones.

69 AUGUST 2020