Page 114 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

and communication technology skills. This comes with the aim Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has
of supporting the skills of 50 women in the field of electronic organized an introductory seminar for representatives from the
marketing on the Internet for 50 women, in addition to creating Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) in
some websites and a number of e-marketing pages on social Alexandria, Beheira, and Matrouh governorates. The seminar
networks. The MoU also stipulates that cooperation takes place focused on the tasks and role performed by the authority in
to support young people with technological skills compatible with controlling and governing the telecommunications market.
the needs of the free labor market. This includes new mechanisms Participants in the symposium were representatives and
in support, guidance and follow-up with the participation of the secretaries of all three provinces, as well as heads of chambers of
government and civil institutions, in addition to leading global and commerce, heads of communications divisions, and more than 50
local private sector companies. Cooperation will also be made to importers, merchants and sales outlets owners. The symposium is
disseminate the culture of e-learning and support its industry by part of a series of introductory seminars implemented by the NTRA
encouraging civil society organizations, institutions and agencies in the various governorates, to clarify and explain the regulatory
concerned with community development to promote and spread and governance frameworks in which the agency operates. This
the culture. It also seeks to train human elements working in comes particularly in relation to the import and circulation of
the e-learning industry and develop the skills of employees by communications equipment, and the sale and purchase of mobile
certifying e-learning centers (the Cisco Academies Program), phone lines, which help to control the mechanisms of work in the
in addition to training students, graduates, and faculty at Kafr Egyptian market. In a statement, NTRA explained the importance
El-Sheikh University to use content production programs. The of using its new digital portal, launched at the beginning of this
MoU also includes using the services and applications of the year, for import and licensing services, which works to save effort
“Kenana Online” platform to build knowledge societies online and time to obtain services. It serves more than 5,000 customers,
with the participation of the community. This will include all its whether companies or individuals, dealing with all types of
governmental, civil, and private institutions as well as experts communication equipment that cover the needs of the Egyptian
in all areas of development in the governorate. This aims to market annually. The services supported by the platform include
create and develop the governorate’s portal for comprehensive all procedures related to permits, licenses, customs clearance,
development, to include several sub-sites for the district office. with obtaining the services of the authority also facilitated
It will also prepare and develop civil society databases and the electronically. The symposium dealt with discussion sessions
locations of civil society projects, initiatives, and institutions in on the topics of cybercrime and its negative effects, as well as
the governorate. During his visit to the governorate, Talaat also the importance of the speedy construction of cell towers. This
inspected the surveillance system in the Crisis Room covering is driven by their positive impact on the quality and spread of
the city of Kafr El-Sheikh with cameras, to monitor the streets communication services. It also reviewed the system for receiving
and work to provide excellent services to citizens. The Ministry and resolving users’ complaints, and the development that has
of Communications and Information Technology seeks to been made to ensure complaints are resolved. NTRA added,
immediately detect anything happening on the streets the moment during the seminar, that it performs its supervisory and regulatory
of its occurrence, and to deal with it accordingly, in coordination role to control the market. It has cooperated with Egypt’s police
with the concerned agencies. The Minister’s visit will witness the forces to implement a series of judicial seizures at sales outlets
opening of two post offices after their development. He will also across Egypt. These were carried out to ascertain the outlets’
inspect the School of Intellectual Education, visit the redeveloped commitment to the procedures and instructions issued by the
Telecom Egypt customer service center in Kafr El-Sheikh, and agency in the handling of devices that do not conform to the
hold a video conference with a number of beneficiaries of the specifications and are not authorized. These efforts have resulted
training programmes and services provided by the Ministry to the in the seizure of a large number of communication devices that do
residents of the governorate. not conform to requirements, and which have entered the country
(March 8, 2021) dailynewsegypt.com illegally. (February 13, 2021) dailynewsegypt.com

Iran

The government is finalizing plans for an auction of 3.5GHz Head of Technical and Network Sevelopment at the country’s
spectrum to support 5G cellular services. A report cites Nastaran largest cellco, Mobile Communication Company of Iran (MCI),
Mohseni, Deputy Head of Iran’s Communication Regulatory has warned that the sale should ensure that frequencies can be
Authority (CRA), as saying that the allocation will go ahead shared between operators, to avoid the creation of a monopoly.
despite problems acquiring equipment in the 3.5GHz band due MCI has previously stated that it hopes to launch commercial 5G
to US trade sanctions. Meanwhile, Morteza Taheribakhsh, the services by March this year. (February 16, 2021) PressTV

114 FEB-MAR 2021