Page 135 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Entel and CLP32 billion from WOM. As part of their the public tender’. The local press outlet also noted
license obligations, the operators will be required that there is a potential route for Claro to purchase
to provide high speed mobile data services to 366 additional 3500MHz airwaves in the immediate future,
unserved or underserved locations, and connect 199 as Entel’s award will push the company’s spectrum
hospitals to the new networks. Diario Financiero holdings in the band above the 30% cap.
quotes a statement from Claro commenting on the With the conclusion of this round of 5G tenders, the
auction results as saying that the company would winners of the spectrum are as follows:
forge ahead with its 5G development program: ‘The • WOM – 2×10MHz in the 700MHz band, 2×15MHz
results of this first phase of the 3500MHz spectrum in the AWS band, 50MHz in the 3500MHz band and
tender do not stop Claro Chile’s 5G deployment plans. 400MHz in the 26GHz band
We will continue advancing in the development of 5G • Entel – 50MHz in the 3500MHz band and 400MHz in
with our currently available spectrum, including the the 26GHz band
26GHz millimeter band.’ The operator also encouraged • Movistar – 50MHz in the 3500MHz band
the regulator to accelerate the process of auctioning • Claro – 400MHz in the 26GHz band.
additional 5G spectrum, referring to the ‘next stage of (February 17, 2021) commsupdate.com

The Superintendency of Telecommunications of the SUTEL board, commented: ‘Internet service users
(Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, SUTEL) have demanded higher quality in telecommunications
has revealed that the country’s total fiber-optic services, as a result of the conditions caused by the
infrastructure expanded 146.1% year-on-year in the pandemic, and telecommunications companies have
Costa Rica twelve months to 30 June 2020, from 78,417km to responded by expanding their fiber-optic networks.
192,996km. Previously, fiber networks spanned just This allows better bandwidth and stability.’
68,226km as of June 2018. Federico Chacon, president (February 19, 2021) commsupdate.com

The government has adopted a new National Plan for ranks 25th out of 27 states in the EU’s Economic and
the Development of Broadband Access, covering the Social Digitization Index (DESI 2020). The Croatian plan
period 2021-27. The plan aims to deliver the objectives aims to provide connectivity with download speeds of
outlined in the EC’s ‘Connectivity to a Competitive at least 100Mbps to all households, while government
Croatia Digital Single Market – Towards a European Gigabit offices and public buildings such as schools and health
Society’ and ‘5G for Europe’ projects, which encourage facilities will get symmetric connections of at least
the development of broadband access and very high- 1Gbps. The project also seeks to have 5G networks in
capacity networks that enable gigabit connectivity all main cities and towns and along major highways.
across EU member states by 2025. Croatia currently (March 15, 2021) commsupdate.com

Nelson Arroyo, the President of the Dominican alongside 16 10MHz blocks of 3.5GHz spectrum. All
Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL), has revealed licenses will have a duration of 20 years. While INDOTEL
that the watchdog expects its 5G auction to generate previously declared its intention to steal a march on its
between USD200 million and USD300 million. Interested regional rivals with one of the first 5G auctions in Latin
Dominican parties have been invited to register for the process America and the Caribbean, TeleGeography notes that
between now and May. The forecast also serves as a
Chile ranks as the first LatAm nation to successfully
Republic ballpark figure for would-be new operators who are auction 5G-suitable frequencies. This month Chile’s
interested in entering the Dominican Republic mobile Department of Telecommunications (Subsecretaria
market. With the country accounting for a wireless de Telecomunicaciones, SUBTEL) confirmed the sale
population penetration rate of just over 80% as of 30 of various licenses in the 3.5GHz band (generating
September 2020, INDOTEL is keen for an injection of USD349.4 million), 700MHz band (USD82.4 million)
fresh blood into the market. The 5G auction process will and AWS band (USD22.4 million). A trio of 26GHz
involve the allocation of frequencies in the 698MHz- concessions were also issued as part of the same
806MHz (700MHz) and 3300MHz to 3460MHz (3.5GHz) process, but did not require an auction.
bands. As per INDOTEL documentation, nine 2×5MHz (February 19, 2021) commsupdate.com
blocks of 700MHz spectrum will be made available,

135 FEB-MAR 2021