Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The telecoms regulator again penalized mobile carried out in three states between August and October
operators for not properly verifying the identity 2019. In early October, it fined six mobile operators a
of prepaid subscribers, fining five companies a total of MYR700,000 for similar registration errors. The
total of MYR750,000 ($184,539). The Malaysian regulator has increased its action against operators in
Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) 2020, issuing fines totaling MYR3.5 million (including
imposed fines of MYR250,000 on Digi, MYR200,000
the prepaid penalties), which it stated is 19 per cent
on Maxis, MYR150,000 on U Mobile, MYR100,000 on higher than it imposed on the industry in 2019.
Tune Talk and MRY50,000 on YTL Communications. (December 9, 2020) mobileworldlive.com
It based the action on discoveries made during audits

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) though it added it would close the case if no problems
launched an investigation into competition in are uncovered. The regulator previously flagged the
smartphone-based contactless payments, examining issue in a report on the Dutch payment market issued
whether limitations on access to NFC functionality on on 1 December, calling on major technology companies
The some devices violates domestic laws. In a statement, including Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Ant Group to
“maintain a level playing field for payment services” on
ACM noted many phones use NFC technology for
Netherlands contactless payments, but some devices “only allows smartphones and smartwatches. In June, the European
the software developer’s own payment app” to use the Commission opened an investigation into allegations
capability. It plans to investigate whether this breaks Apple restricted access to NFC on iPhones and refused
competition laws by hindering innovation and reducing competitors access to its Apple Pay service.
user choice in payment apps. If breaches are found, (December 4, 2020) mobileworldlive.com
ACM said it could issue penalties including fines,

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has completion of an assessment into whether providers
announced that all mobile subscribers in the country have complied with data regulations. In a statement,
will be required to provide their service provider with a The Nigeria Communications Commission said the
Nigeria valid National Identification Number (NIN) between 16 suspension would be for the duration of an audit of
operators’ current bases and new registrations would
December and the end of 30 December 2020, in order
to update their SIM registration records. The decision only be allowed “where absolutely necessary” with
follows a directive issued last week suspending the permission from the government. Failure to comply, the
registration of new SIM cards by mobile network regulator added, would be met with “strict sanctions”
operators (MNOs) while the NCC embarks on an including the possible withdrawal of operating licenses.
audit of the Subscriber Registration Database. Soon Ensuring the identification of mobile users has been
after, a meeting was held between the Ministry of a priority of Nigerian authorities for several years,
Communications and Digital Economy, the NCC, with SIM registration rules first put in place during
the National Information Technology Development 2011. MTN’s local unit received a massive fine for
Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management contravening rules in 2015. In January, Nigeria imposed
Commission (NIMC) and representatives from all further regulations requiring users to complete digital
service providers in the industry, during which it was identification procedures with government agency
agreed that operators would immediately require National Identity Management Commission and
all their subscribers to provider their NIN. After the provide the details to their mobile network provider.
deadline, all SIMs without NINs will be blocked from the Nigeria has four major mobile operators, with GSMA
networks, and any violations of the directive will be met Intelligence figures for Q3 estimating MTN as the
by sanctions, including the potential withdrawal of an largest with 75 million connections, followed by Glo
operator’s license. (December 17, 2020) commsupdate.com Mobile (54 million), Airtel’s local operation (44 million)
and 9Mobile (13 million).
The communication regulator ordered mobile operators (December 10, 2020) mobileworldlive.com
not to activate, sell or register new SIM cards until the

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