Page 104 - SAMENA Trends - February 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital frequencies is as follows:
Transformation (Ministerio de Asuntos Economicos • Xfera Moviles (Grupo MASMOVIL, 80MHz):
y Transformacion Digital, MINECO) has reorganized 3420MHz-3500MHz
the spectrum in the 3400MHz-3800MHz (3.5GHz) • Telefonica de Espana (40MHz)/Telefonica Moviles
band assigned to the country’s cellcos. The watchdog Espana (60MHz): 3500MHz-3600MHz
Spain explained: ‘The main objective of the reorganization • Orange Espana (110MHz): 3600MHz-3710MHz

is to facilitate a more efficient deployment of 5G • Vodafone Spain (90MHz): 3710MHz-3800MHz
wireless broadband services, take advantage of all the As part of the process, all companies using
possibilities provided by 5G technology and, ultimately, 700MHz/800MHz telecoms licenses have guaranteed
reduce the costs of deploying mobile communications that their respective electronic communications
networks in this band.’ Post-reorganization, a 20MHz services will not interfere with digital terrestrial
block (3400MHz-3420MHz) has been preserved television (DTT) operators using frequencies in the
as a guard band, with allocation of the remaining 470MHz-694MHz range. (February 22, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (Post & 900MHz band, primarily to improve wireless signals
Telestyrelsen, PTS) has opened a consultation into the alongside main road and rail routes. A spectrum ceiling
allocation of spectrum licenses in the 900MHz, 2.1GHz of 2×20 MHz will apply in the allocation of the 900MHz
and 2.6GHz bands. The award of licenses is scheduled band, while the 2.1GHz and 2.6GHz bands will have a
Sweden to begin in September 2023, with permits valid from cap of 120MHz per operator. Stakeholders have until
the start of 2026. The 900MHz concessions will run 28 March 2022 to submit written comments.
for 23 years, while licenses in the other two bands will (February 25, 2022) commsupdate.com
be valid for 25 years. 2×10MHz will be allocated in the

The Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales has to restructure the company, which has been losing
denied allegations by opposition politicians that the revenue in recent years. TSTT is 51% owned by the
planned restructuring exercise at state-owned telco Government of Trinidad and Tobago, while co-owner
Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Liberty Latin America (LLA) inherited its 49% stake in
Trinidad and (TSTT) is a ruse to privatize the company. The Minister the telco when it completed the acquisition of Cable &
Tobago Gonzales dismissed the suggestion as a ‘conspiracy Wireless Communications (CWC) in May 2016. LLA –
theory’, but said he would welcome any evidence
which also owns local cableco Flow – has been obliged
to support the claim. The telco recently invited the to offload its stake since March 2015, but no deal has
representative workers’ unions to discuss a plan ever materialized. (February 1, 2022) Newsday

Britain's telecoms regulator said it was not ideologically would not block a merger solely because it reduced
wedded to retaining four mobile networks, signaling an the number of operators to three from four, but would
open-minded approach to a possible tie-up between consider the specific circumstances of tie-ups and
Vodafone and Three. Vodafone Chief Executive Nick changes in the wider market. "The question of whether
United Read last week listed Britain as one market where a particular merger is likely to result in a substantial
lessening of competition will turn on the effectiveness
the company saw an opportunity for mergers, adding
Kingdom that it was pursuing deals in multiple European of competition that can be expected in the market after
markets. European operators have called for in-market the merger, rather than just the number of competitors,"
consolidation to encourage greater investment in it said in a discussion paper. Europe's decision to
networks, to keep pace with Asia and the United States, block the O2-Three merger was overturned by the EU's
where three operators are common. Vodafone VOD.L , General Court last year. By then O2, owned by Spain's
which is ranked third in terms of subscriber numbers Telefonica had formed a joint venture with Liberty
in Britain, has previously held talks with fourth-ranked Global's Virgin Media LBTYA.O broadband network.
Three, which is owned by Hutchison . Regulator Ofcom A combined Vodafone-Three would have around 31%
in 2015 opposed the proposed merger between O2 of mobile subscribers in Britain, behind Virgin Media
and Three that would have created Britain's biggest O2, with about 35%, and EE , with about 34%, based
operator because it wanted to retain competition on Ofcom data for Q1 2021. Ofcom said competition
between four networks. The merger was blocked by between Britain's four networks had served the country
European regulators. Ofcom said, however, that it well, but consumers were increasingly using other

104 FEBRUARY 2022