Page 121 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Togo Says 90% of the Population Will Have Broadband Access by 2022

Togo’s Minister of Posts, Digital Economy the territory’, pointing out that to achieve and E-Gov)’. The challenge facing Ms.
& Technological Innovations, Cina Lawson, this ambitious goal – TeleGeography notes Lawson’s department, however, will be to
is cited as saying that by 2022, 90% of the that fixed/mobile broadband penetration develop ultra-high speed communications
population will have access to fixed and was estimated at 35% at end-2019 – the networks to benefit the economy and
mobile broadband internet services. Togo government is seeking to exploit ‘the best indeed, key sectors such as trade, health,
First quotes the minister as saying that points’ that are in its words ‘consistent administration and culture.
the pledge forms a core part of its aim to with the existing infrastructure (i.e. the
‘extend and improve the digital coverage of railway network, telco/ISP networks

French Operators Apply for Fixed-Price 5G Blocks

The four major mobile operators in France accepted an offer to around service availability and 5G provision for MVNOs. Arcep
acquire 50MHz of spectrum available in a 5G frequency sale for a said it would announce if the four companies had successfully
fixed price, regulator Arcep revealed, adding it would now take the made these commitments prior to the start of bidding for further
next steps towards completing the process by June. With Orange, blocks of 10MHz in the same bands. Between the fixed sale and
SFR, Free Mobile and Bouygues Telecom agreeing to take up the auction, France expects to raise at least €2.2 billion.
offer, Arcep said its next step would be to assess the paperwork
they had submitted. Arcep plans to assign the blocks after the
completion of a 5G spectrum auction scheduled to begin in April.
Allocation of the additional 50MHz blocks will be made at the same
time as operators receive the frequencies won in the broader sale,
with the regulator targeting completion of both processes by June
at the latest. To qualify for the 50MHz in the 3.4GHz to 3.8GHz
bands at a fixed price of €350 million, operators were required to
agree to a number of terms related to minimum coverage, product
availability and fostering competition. Among the commitments
were improving indoor coverage for businesses, supplying
dedicated fixed wireless access products, greater transparency

5G Rule Changes in Poland and the Czech Republic Cause Controversy

As might be expected, the continuing drive of the country’s four main operators were for this month. However, the regulator has
to get 5G auctions and rollouts under way to pull out from the bidding, potentially delayed the process with new roaming
is throwing up a number of controversies. leaving a block unsold. To add to the conditions. Novak took issue with the
The latest policy debates have taken place operators’ problems, they are also being government’s emphasis on national
in Poland and the Czech Republic. Urzad asked to speed up deployment (meaning roaming, which would allow consumers
Komunikacji Elektronicznej (UKE), Poland’s that by the end of 2025 700 base stations to switch between providers in the 3.5GHz
Office of Electronic Communications, has should be deployed instead of 500). The band. He argued that the frequency cannot
launched its second round of consultation Czech Republic, however, has seen even be used across the whole country. The
for the planned award of 5G spectrum greater controversy in the form, allegedly, government (or, more precisely, Industry
in the 3400MHz-3800MHz band. This of a resignation, when telecoms regulator Minister Karel Havlicek) insisted that the
award is due to take place later this year. Jaromir Novak announced (publishing rule change is needed to attract bidders
However, requests from operators that the letter on Twitter, apparently) his and, in a rather surprising postscript, added
the reserve price be lowered from about departure, over 5G auction plans. The that Novak had in fact been fired and had
$116 million to approximately 55 percent final straw appears to have been last- not resigned. With a lot riding on getting
of that sum (using reserve prices in a minute government changes to the 5G auctions and rollouts right, these surely
number of other countries as a guideline) Czech Telecommunication Office’s sale won’t be the last controversies in these
have been ignored. The regulator has also of 5G-suitable frequencies. The sale of countries – and many others.
retained the limit of one 80MHz block per frequencies in the 700MHz and 3.5GHz
bidder. This could cause problems if one bands via auction was originally slated

121 FEBRUARY 2020