Page 70 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

WHOLESALE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

CAN Bloc to Implement ‘Roam Like at Home’ by January 2022

International roaming charges for travelers voice service must be charged at cost. it will allow an average reduction of 60%
moving between Bolivia, Colombia, Commenting on the development, Jose and 80%, until in two years the concept of
Ecuador and Peru are set to be gradually Aguilar, General Director of Policies and international calling will end.’ The official
reduced following the implementation of Regulation at Peru’s Ministry of Transport went on: ‘It is very important that the CAN
Decision 854 of the Andean Community and Communications (Ministerio de decision comes into force because it is in
(Comunidad Andina, CAN). Under the Transportes y Comunicaciones, MTC) line with practices applied in other regions
terms of the agreement, from 1 January praised the move, noting: ‘It means that such as the EU and Mercosur.’
2022 operators must not charge
additional fees for roaming between the
bloc’s member states, and must apply
the same tariff conditions that apply in
the user’s home state for local outgoing
calls, SMS and data. In the interim, the
decision establishes price ceilings for
retail and wholesale international roaming
services. Wholesale fees for mobile data
were set at USD0.0039 per MB until 31
December 2020, and USD0.0033 per MB
from 1 January 2021 to 31 December
2021, whilst wholesale incoming mobile

Verizon Prepares for Global 5G Roaming with South Korea Trials

Verizon Wireless has become the first were conducted on the live production
US operator to successfully complete 5G network in South Korea with a
5G global roaming trials and has a prototype device using dual frequencies.
‘commercially ready’ 5G global roaming The 5G device, which can access 5G
service. As such, customers traveling from services in the US using millimeter wave
the US to South Korea with a compatible (mmWave) spectrum, accessed 5G on
device will be able to enjoy the benefits of 3.5GHz spectrum in South Korea. Average
5G service internationally. The successful speeds recorded during the trial were
trials for voice, data and text messaging 252Mbps/119Mbps (down/uplink).

Interconnection Impasse: Claro, Tigo Reluctant to Cooperate with Partners

Chris Bannister, the CEO of Colombian was otherwise engaged and unable to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database,
newcomer Partners, has informed La attend the talks. It is understood that in December 2019 Partners (representing
Republica that both Claro and Tigo have Partners infuriated its rivals by using its Icelandic-owned, UK-based private equity
refused to sign interconnection agreements 700MHz spectrum allocation to bolster firm Novator Partners) successfully bid
with it to date, meaning that Movistar is the the networks of its recently acquired on frequencies in the 700MHz band and
sole national operator to agree terms. The mobile subsidiary, Avantel. Bannister, 2500MHz bands in Colombia’s multi-
executive added that ‘conflict meetings’ however, has assured industry observers band spectrum auction. In July 2020,
with the Communications Regulatory that the 700MHz spectrum has now been meanwhile, Novator Partners acquired an
Commission (Comision de Regulacion de withdrawn, pending a full investigation by unspecified majority stake in Colombian
Comunicaciones, CRC) came to nothing, the National Spectrum Agency (Agencia mobile operator Avantel and launched a
with Claro claiming that its only lawyer Nacional del Espectro, ANE). According to restructuring of the business.

70 AUGUST 2020