Page 125 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

FCC Reviews Net Neutrality Ruling

The US Federal Communications Jessica Rosenworcel said people who the FCC’s net neutrality decision argued
Commission (FCC) called for fresh comment were dissatisfied with the regulator’s in court paid prioritization could hinder
on its decision to ditch net neutrality repeal of net neutrality rules should use the ability of emergency workers and the
protections in 2017, after a court ordered the comment period to “make noise” and general public to communicate during
it to assess potential negative impacts “let Washington know how important an crisis situations.
of the move. Specifically, the FCC said it open internet is for every piece of our civic
is seeking input on how the rule change and commercial lives”. The request for
may have affected public safety, regulation feedback comes after a court in October
of access to utility infrastructure and 2019 largely upheld the FCC’s decision to
funding for the Lifeline broadband subsidy scrap rules which barred internet service
program, a government scheme offering providers from blocking, throttling or
contributions towards broadband fees to offering paid prioritization. However, it
people on low incomes. Comments are due asked the FCC to review the order’s impact
by 30 March, with replies to be filed by 29 on the aforementioned areas, finding it
April. In a statement, FCC Commissioner failed to do so previously. Opponents of

ABCom Takeover Gets Nod from Competition Authority

Albania’s antitrust watchdog the Competition Authority (Autoriteti in the fixed market. The CAA was nevertheless wary of the potential
i Konkurrences, CAA) has given conditional approval to Vodafone impact on the fixed and mobile sectors and imposed a number of
Albania’s planned acquisition of cable broadband provider conditions on the tie up. As such, Vodafone was ordered to ‘no
Albanian Broadband Company (ABCom). In its analysis, the longer abuse its dominant position’ through: the direct or indirect
regulator found that the takeover would not strengthen Vodafone’s setting of unfair prices; offering different terms for the same
dominant position in the mobile market nor establish dominance offers; or establishing conditions for contracts in which the other
party must take on additional obligations not related to the subject
of the contract. Vodafone/ABCom was also required to maintain
separate accounts for fixed and mobile services, to ensure that the
source of revenue can be identified. Other safeguarding measures
imposed by the regulator include monitoring the merged entity’s
activities for a twelve-month period, during which the CAA should
be notified in advance of any plans to change service packages or
introduce new tariffs. The CAA also recommended that the sector
watchdog the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority
(Autoritetit Te Komunikimeve Elektronike Dhe Postare, AKEP)
approve in advance any new package that combines fixed and
mobile services in the same bundle, and require providers to list
the respective prices of the component services featured in the
package.

NTA Allows Ncell to Use Additional 1800MHz Frequency

Nepal’s telecoms regulator, the Nepal (MNO), had paid its NPR22.5 billion coverage in district capitals, before
Telecommunications Authority (NTA), (USD195 million) capital gains tax bill in providing coverage to at least 95% of
has authorized Ncell to use the 9MHz of full. The government has now directed the country’s territory and population by the
additional frequency in the 1800MHz band NTA to authorize its use, however, after end of 2022. Ncell will also have to install
it acquired in the country’s first spectrum Ncell paid an initial instalment of NPR4.5 3,000 new 4G towers across the country by
auction in December 2019, reports The billion. The spectrum award is subject 2022, and achieve download speeds of at
Himalayan Times. The regulator had to Ncell meeting several conditions. The least 20Mbps in urban areas and 10Mbps
originally warned that the bandwidth operator will initially be required to expand in rural zones.
would only be released once Ncell, Nepal’s its 4G service across all 77 districts by the
second largest mobile network operator end of 2020, achieving 95% population
125 FEBRUARY 2020