Page 136 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN SAMENA REGION

Afghanistan

The Ministry of Telecommunication announced a reduction of data companies at a lower rate, but the private companies are in a tight
prices by the Afghan Telecom and Salaam, state-owned telecom collusion with each other trying not to lower the data prices. The
companies. According to the Ministry of Telecommunications, main issue with the state-owned Salaam telecom company is its
Afghan Telecom has reduced its data prices by 30% and Salaam, low technical capabilities and inability to provide the same service
another state-owned telecom has reduced its internet data quality as the private companies that will of course not lead to a
package prices by 20%. This comes as the telecom and internet market competion, Mirwais Arya told Khaama Press. Mohammad
users have been regularly complaining of a high internet price Fahim Hashimi, the Minister of Telecommunications had early
in Afghanistan. A year ago, a campaign naming ‘#WhereIsATRA’ said that the telecom companies buy a one-gigabit internet for
started by some youths against low telecom service quality and less than AFN 10.00, but resell at AFN 180.00 which is 18 times
high internet prices. Mirwais Arya, one of the key members of higher than the original price. Despite the high internet data price
the ‘#WhereIsATRA’ campaign who has closely monitored the in Afghanistan, the quality of the service is way lower compared to
telecom operations in Afghanistan told Khaama Press that the the neighboring countries. The data speed in Pakistan and India,
Ministry of Telecommunication which is the wholesale provider the two close neighbors of Afghanistan are much higher and the
of the internet data is ready to provide internet to the private price is way low compared to Afghanistan. (February 18, 2020) khaama.com

Bahrain

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has needed to enhance the quality of application. Furthermore, the
opened the registration for the Cyber Safety Award, which aims TRA has also opened registration for those wishing to join the
to encourage members of society and educational institutions judging panel. Applicants need to be experts and leaders in the
in Bahrain, to create awareness content in the field of Cyber following professions: film producers, film directors, narrators,
Safety. Registration will be open to students from public and scenario writers, film critics, social media experts, internet
private secondary schools, as well as educational institutions, security experts, educationalists, and other related professions.
schools and universities, to nominate distinguished students Judges for the Cyber Safety Award will be selected based on their
for participation. Applications are to be submitted in the form experience and level of expertise. (February 22, 2020) tra.org.bh
of a short film, of no more than 120 seconds in length, covering
the impact of overutilization of social media on young people’s The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the
social relations and psychological wellbeing. “Through SafeSurf’s Kingdom of Bahrain held a workshop on the 5th of February,
initiatives, the TRA seeks to enable youths in the Kingdom of 2020 to shed light on the success of the national broadband
Bahrain by opening the innovative fields to promising talents to network project and share its experience with other regulators
spread awareness among the community as well as encouraging from around the region. The National Broadband Network project
students to achieve cyber culture in the field of cyber safety was a key objective in the government’s vision through the 4th
focusing on the effects of it on their day-to-day life.” Says Sh. National Telecom Plan. In simple terms, this project is the result
Abdulla bin Humood Al Khalifa, TRA’s Director of Consumer of Batelco having been split into two separate entities which
Affairs and Media. Upon registration, online training sessions are independent of each other. The newly formed “BNET” is a
will become available to participants, aiming to help improve wholesale organization managing Bahrain’s Fixed Infrastructure.
the skills required for the production of short films. The training Batelco is one of the existing operators in the Kingdom that would
will be presented by photography director Mr. Hamad Abdulla, lease this infrastructure, along with STC Bahrain and Zain Bahrain
winner of several international television series and programmes among other ISPs to offer retails services to end users. This led
awards. The training sessions will illustrate techniques of to the establishment of a new economic regulatory framework in
photography, montage and filmmaking, to acquire special skills line with Government’s policy directions under the 4th National

136 FEBRUARY 2020