Page 145 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

SA's telecoms regulator pushed back the announcement new spectrum licenses but Telkom, which is partly
of the qualifying bidders for its long-awaited auction state-owned, and MTN Group have challenged the
of new spectrum by a month to March 23, just a auction process in court. “We remain confident that we
week before the sale had been due to be completed. are not off the track but in a better position to complete
South Africa The Independent Communications Authority of SA the licensing of high-demand spectrum,” said ICASA
(ICASA) said it was completing a contract with the
chairperson Keabetswe Modimoeng. Telkom is seeking
external auctioneer who will oversee and manage the an order to halt the auction and there has not been a
process, and the auction would now start on March 31 judgment in its case yet. MTN's separate challenge
rather than finishing then. Allocation of high-demand has yet to be heard in court. Operators including MTN,
spectrum is seen as key to expanding broadband Telkom, Vodacom, Cell C, Rain networks and Liquid
services, especially 5G, in Africa's most industrialized Telecoms have applied for licenses. The spectrum
economy, where the high cost of telecommunications auction process was pushed back three months in
is a barrier to doing business. Telecom operators have September due to a delay in issuing invitations to
been waiting more than a decade for ICASA to release apply.” (February 23, 2021) sowetanlive.co.za

The number of subscribers to 5G network services 5G-supporting Galaxy S21 lineup. The increase could
in South Korea as of last year reached 11.85 million, further accelerate as local telecommunication firms
according to government data. Mobile data traffic using have started to introduce cheaper 5G data plans. The
5G networks too surged, due to the increasing number number of 5G subscriptions is, however, still under the
of 5G users, the government also reported. According original target of 15 million that the telecommunications
South Korea to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the number of 5G industry suggested earlier last year. By companies, SK
subscribers in December increased 8.4 percent from Telecom has secured 5.47 million 5G subscriptions,
a month earlier, continuing the upward trend in the while KT and LG U+ trail with 3.61 million and 2.75
previous month. The number of 5G users has increased million subscriptions, respectively. The ministry noted
by more than 900,000 for a second straight month 5G data traffic in December reached 302,278 terabytes,
since November. The increase was largely backed by up from 200,000 terabytes six months prior. During the
the launch of Apple’s iPhone 12 in October, the ministry same period, the data traffic of Long-Term Evolution
explained. The local telecommunications firms’ full- networks users declined to 399,193 terabytes. The
scale price competition for 5G devices and data plans ministry estimated 5G traffic would overtake that of 4G
also helped the number to increase, the ministry during the second half of this year, given the increasing
added. The ministry expected the 5G subscriptions number of 5G users.
would continue to increase at a fast speed in (February 3, 2021) koreaherald.com
January as Samsung Electronics has introduced its

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Spain’s first
Transformation (Ministerio de Asuntos Economicos y auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz
Transformacion Digital, MINECO) has announced that band successfully concluded in July 2018, generating
two remaining 3.5GHz licenses will go on sale, with a total of EUR437.6 million for the government, and
Telefonica Espana (Movistar) and Orange Espana going comfortably exceeding the EUR100 million starting price
Spain head-to-head for the concessions. Each 1×10MHz established by the watchdog. Vodafone dominated the
license will have a starting price of EUR21 million bidding, paying EUR198.1 million for 18 5MHz blocks.
(USD25.4 million) and both spectrum permits will be Orange was next in line, bidding EUR132.1 million for
valid until 2038. Following the conclusion of the tender, twelve 5MHz blocks, while Movistar offered EUR107.4
the watchdog notes that a reorganization of the 3.5GHz million for the remaining ten 5MHz blocks. Going
band will be carried out, so that all operators are in forward, the auction of 5G-suitable 700MHz licenses is
possession of contiguous frequency blocks, enabling a expected to take place later in 2021.
more efficient use of the spectrum for 5G. According to (February 22, 2021) commsupdate.com

The Post and Telecom Agency (Post & Telestyrelsen, internet services and roaming as part of its supervision
PTS) says its focus this year will be on price supervision plan for 2021. The regulator’s work plan has been
in regulated markets. The watchdog says it will be also opened for public comments.
monitoring compliance of operator reporting, open (March 2, 2021) commsupdate.com
Sweden
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