Page 153 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Agency for Electronic Communications (AEK) the regulator noted that there is an ongoing migration
has opened a public consultation on the award of 5G to the second-generation digital video broadcasting-
authorizations in North Macedonia, giving interested terrestrial (DVB-T2) standard which should be
parties until 6 March to submit their comments. The completed by mid-2020, vacating the band for telecoms
Macedonia regulator is planning to initially award 5G-suitable use. The AEK will award 2×10MHz of spectrum in the
spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.6GHz bands in the
700MHz band per operator, while it plans to distribute
second half of 2020 (with other bands scheduled to be 300MHz in the 3.6GHz band (100MHz per operator)
allocated in case of interest) and has invited all market nationally and 68.5MHz regionally. When allocating
participants to provide their input regarding terms and spectrum in the two bands, the AEK is planning to
conditions of the spectrum auction, the demand for prescribe a number of conditions, including territorial
spectrum, the optimal way of allocating the airwaves, coverage (at least one city covered by 5G by the end
and a deadline consistent with the operators’ return on of 2023 and all cities covered with uninterrupted 5G
investment. The AEK proposes to reserve 2×10MHz in signal by 2027) and population coverage (all citizens
the 700MHz band and 100MHz in the 3.6GHz bands for to be provided 5G access with minimum downlink of
a new network operator, with a lower one-time fee and 100Mbps by 2029).
coverage obligations. Regarding the 700MHz airwaves, (February 12, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Transport and Communications which it identifies as a ‘key barrier to expanding
(MOTC) has published a white paper on facilitating Myanmar’s broadband penetration and coverage’. In a
faster broadband and 5G adoption, recommending similar vein, the MOTC’s Post and Telecommunications
new broadband penetration targets as well as potential Department (PTD) should be tasked with establishing
regulatory strategies to achieve these goals. The paper a national infrastructure database to enable a ‘check
Myanmar suggests setting penetration and speed targets by before you dig’ service that would help minimize
technology and along an urban/non-urban divide for accidental damage to existing networks. The PTD would
2020 and 2024 as follows: also look to encourage greater infrastructure sharing,
For urban areas: covering both existing systems and the deployment of
• 5% at 20Mbps via fixed technologies by 2020 new fixed broadband and 5G infrastructure. Meanwhile,
• 15% at 20Mbps via fixed-wireless technologies by the paper also recommends the release of additional
2020 spectrum, though TeleGeography notes that this
• 50% at 100Mbps via fixed technologies by 2024 process is already underway, with the PTD having
• 50% at 100Mbps via fixed-wireless technologies by published a roadmap for the release of airwaves in
2024. early 2019. That timeline – intended to steadily provide
For non-urban areas: greater resources to industry players whilst striking a
• 3% at 10Mbps via fixed technologies by 2020 balance between affordability for telcos and revenue
• 20% at 5Mbps via fixed-wireless technologies by generation for the government – will see the state
2020 auction 2300MHz, 2600MHz and 3500MHz frequencies
• 20% at 30Mbps via fixed technologies by 2024 later this year, with a tender for 700MHz airwaves to
• 60% at 30Mbps via fixed-wireless technologies by follow in 2021 and 850MHz and 900MHz to be made
2024. available in 2022. The subsequent two years would
To reach these targets, the white paper recommends then see the release of additional 3500MHz spectrum
making improvements to regulations to ease (2023), and other 5G-suitable frequencies, such as the
infrastructure deployment. Specifically, the paper 1500MHz, 4.8GHz and 26GHz bands (2024).
suggests addressing right of way (RoW) challenges, (February 19, 2020) commsupdate.com

Mexico’s Federal Telecomunications Institute (Instituto Baja California and Sonora), is – like its better-known
Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has fined America sister company, Telmex – classified as a Preponderant
Movil (AM) subsidiary Telefonos del Noreste (Telnor) Economic Agent (Agente Economico Preponderante,
a total of MXN1.3 billion (USD69.7 million) for failing AEP). As such, Telnor is obliged to inform the regulator
Mexico to disclose full details regarding the availability and – and in turn the other concessionaires – of its network
availability, so other operators can utilize excess
technical characteristics of its networks. Telnor,
which operates in north-western Mexico (including network capacity. (January 29, 2020) commsupdate.com

153 FEBRUARY 2020