Page 101 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

ITU, WMO and UNEP to develop guidance support the participation of the countries and Innovation at WMO. "The WMO
of value to all stakeholders in natural shown to be most acutely impacted by Disaster Risk Reduction Program assists
disaster management. We are calling natural disasters, notably small island countries in protecting lives, livelihoods
for the participation of all stakeholders developing states (SIDS) and low-income and property from natural hazards, and it
to ensure that we achieve this." Muralee countries. The proposal to launch the new is strengthening meteorological support
Thummarukudy, Operations Manager for Focus Group was inspired by discussions to humanitarian operations for disaster
Crisis Management at UNEP explained: at an AI for Good webinar on International preparedness through the development
"AI applications can provide efficient Disaster Risk Reduction Day, 13 October of a WMO Coordination Mechanism
science-driven management strategies 2020, organized by ITU and UNDRR. This and Global Multi-Hazard Alert System.
to support four phases of disaster conversation continued at a subsequent Complementary to the Focus Group,
management: mitigation, preparedness, AI for Good webinar, 21 January 2021, we aim to advance knowledge transfer,
response and recovery. By promoting the organized by ITU and UNEP. "WMO looks communication and education – all with
use and sharing of environmental data and forward to a fruitful collaboration with a focus on regions where resources are
predictive analytics, UNEP is committed ITU and UNEP and the many prestigious limited." ITU Focus Groups accelerate
to accelerating digital transformation universities and partners committed to ITU studies in fields of growing strategic
together with ITU and WMO to improve this exciting initiative. AI is growing in relevance to ITU membership. They
disaster resilience, response and recovery importance to WMO activities and will help establish a basis for related international
efforts." The Focus Group's work will all countries to achieve major advances standardization work in ITU Study Groups.
pay particular attention to the needs of in disaster management that will leave The ITU Focus Group on 'AI for natural
vulnerable and resource-constrained no one behind," said Jürg Luterbacher, disaster management' will report to ITU-T
regions. It will make special effort to Chief Scientist & Director of Science Study Group 2 (Operational aspects).

OFCOM Announces Results of 5G Auction’s Principal Stage

British communications regulator OFCOM million, as well as further 20MHz block of 3.8GHz band, with Three UK rounding out
has announced the outcome of the supplementary downlink spectrum in that the winners, having bid GBP280 million
principal stage of its auction to release same band for GBP4 million, and 40MHz in for 2×10MHz in the 700MHz band. In
more spectrum to improve mobile services the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz band (GBP168 million), terms of the next steps, OFCOM said the
and support 5G. Four companies have taking its total spend to GBP452 million. auction will now move to the ‘assignment’
secured new frequencies, with the sale O2 UK also secured frequencies, agreeing stage, which will involve a single bidding
process raising a total of GBP1.356 billion to pay GBP280 million for 2×10MHz paired round in which the MNOs can bid for the
(USD1.88 billion) for state coffers. EE in the 700MHz band and GBP168 million frequency positions they prefer for the
emerged as the biggest spender, securing for 40MHz in the higher band. Meanwhile, airwaves they have secured in the principal
2×10MHz of paired frequency spectrum Vodafone UK offered GBP176.4 million for stage. According to the regulator, after
in the 700MHz band at a cost of GBP280 a 40MHz block of spectrum in the 3.6GHz- submitting their assignment stage bids for
the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz band, bidders will have
the opportunity to negotiate the frequency
positions among themselves, should they
seek to join together their newly-acquired
spectrum with frequencies they already
hold in the wider 3.4GHz-3.8GHz band.
OFCOM noted though that this will be
subject to whether the companies wish to
enter the negotiation period, and should
they do so it said it would publish the dates
for the negotiation period. Final results for
the auction – including the total amounts
paid, the specific frequencies secured
for each bidder, and the outcome of any
agreements reached in the negotiation
period – will be published once all stages
are complete.

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