Page 148 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

UK telecoms regulator OFCOM is launching its delayed plans follow the regulator’s October 2020 publication of
5G 700MHz and 3.6GHz-3.8GHz spectrum license new rules that include a requirement for a customer’s
auction this Friday (12 March 2021), with the aims of new broadband provider to take the lead in managing
improving mobile services and increasing access to the switch – regardless of whether the customer
United 5G technology. OFCOM stated on its website that the moves between different networks, or to a full-fiber
auction will increase the total amount of spectrum
service on the same network. Now, after considering
Kingdom available for mobile technology in the UK by nearly several different options proposed by the industry for
a fifth. Four operators will be bidding in the auction: how to implement these rules in practice, OFCOM has
EE, Vodafone, 3 and O2. OFCOM is releasing 80MHz put forward its ‘one touch’ system for both fixed line
of spectrum in the 700MHz band, following a four- voice and broadband residential customers. As per
year program to clear the band of its existing uses for this process, the first step would be for a customer
digital terrestrial TV and wireless microphones. These to contact their new chosen provider and give them
airwaves are ideal for providing good-quality mobile their details. Following this, the customer would then
coverage, both indoors and across very wide areas, automatically receive important information from
including the countryside. Releasing the 700MHz their current provider, including any early contract
frequencies will also boost the capacity of existing termination charges they may have to pay, and how the
mobile networks. 120MHz of spectrum is up for grabs switch may affect other services the customer has with
in the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz band, which is part of the primary the company. Assuming the customer wants to proceed
band for 5G and will significantly boost capacity for 5G with the switch, the new provider would then manage
data connections. (March 10, 2021) commsupdate.com this. With the consultation on the proposals running
until 31 March 2021, OFCOM has said it aims to publish
Arguing that subscribers should be able to switch a final decision ‘in the summer’. The regulator has,
broadband provider more easily, British telecoms however, suggested that the new switching process
regulator OFCOM has proposed a new ‘one touch’ will not come into force until December 2022, due to
system under which it claims will customers benefit the fact that companies will need to make ‘significant’
from ‘quicker, simpler and more reliable switching’. The changes to their systems. (February 4, 2021) commsupdate.com

The FCC is seeking public input in how to quickly "Recognizing that some households have more than
stand up the $7 billion COVID-19-related emergency one student, school staff member, or library patron, and
schools and libraries advanced telecommunications that video conferencing applications commonly used
connectivity fund created by Congress in the for remote learning place heavy demands on speed and
United American Rescue Plan to help close the homework use large amounts of data, what level of service and
gap and aid in remote learning more widely during
data thresholds are needed to accommodate multiple
States the pandemic. The commission has 60 days to users?," the FCC asks. The FCC is seeking advice on
start handing out the money, which can be spent on "what rules the Commission should adopt to most
advanced telecommunications service for the home efficiently and effectively distribute funding, mindful of
(or potentially other non-school or library location) the Commission’s obligation to protect against waste,
and equipment for use by schools, libraries, students, fraud, and abuse in seeking to meet the connectivity
patrons, and staff outside of the physical school or needs of our nation’s students, school staff, and library
library location. Covered equipment includes Wi-Fi patrons." The Universal Service Fund Administrator
hotspots, modems, routers and connected devices, (USAC) will administer the program. It already
but the FCC is proposing not to include smart phones administers the E-rate schools and libraries subsidy
among those eligible devices because "because such program, which the FCC has historically limited to
devices do not sufficiently allow students, school school or library broadband service, rather than home,
staff, and library patrons to meaningfully participate though the FCC is contemplating whether to change
in remote learning activities." It is also excluding "dark that reading of the statute. The FCC also wants input on
fiber and the construction of new networks, including how to measure its and USAC's performance in running
the construction of self-provisioned networks," the program, including whether it should set specific
from the fund. The FCC also wants to know if it goals for adoption by students, staff or patrons, or
should require minimum service standards and data availability of end-user devices and, if so, what they
thresholds for advanced telecommunications service should be. It is proposing that schools and libraries
to qualify for the money and, if so, what they should already eligible for E-rate be automatically eligible for
be to ensure "robust" remote learning. The current FCC the new fund, and whether there are other entities not
threshold for high-speed is 25 Mbps downstream and eligible for E-rate that should be eligible for this new
3 Mbps upstream, but some argue that is insufficient money. The public and stakeholders have until April 23
for the robust service the FCC is trying to ensure. to weigh in. (March 17, 2021) nexttv.com

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