Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - February 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN THE SAMENA REGION

Bahrain

Bahrain launched a new four-year strategy to push ahead with use and dependence on data we are focused now on Bahrain’s
digitalizing the economy, including the telecoms and information connections to more international networks while also enhancing
technology (IT) sectors. The 2022-2026 Telecommunications, alternative routes to make communications more resilient.”
Information Technology and Digital Economy Strategy is in line The Cabinet earlier approved list of 1,294 services and tasked a
with the objectives of the Economic Recovery Plan. Present team to ensure their availability online on the government portal
were, and National Cybersecurity Centre chief executive Shaikh www.bahrain.bh. Major services, including the issuance of visas,
Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. “Telecommunications marriage certificates, identity documents for new-borns and post-
and IT are a priority for the government as they are not only construction services will also be re-engineered. Information
important to boost national production and create jobs, but and eGovernment Authority (iGA) chief executive Mohammed
they also play a crucial role in bolstering key economic sectors Al Qaed said: “The iGA has several initiatives, programmes and
such as logistics, financial and tourism, among others,” said projects in the pipeline to positively impact the economy and
Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal develop the performance of services provided in line with current
Ahmed. “The world is transitioning towards a digital economy developments. “Electronic governance is one of the key objectives
and if we want to increase the competitiveness of our national that iGA is focusing on through a full digital transformation of all
products on the global stage, we must invest in implementing government documents and certificates created in Bahrain or
sustainable technology in our sectors. “The backbone of any abroad. We will also further develop the eKey services and provide
sustainable digital economy is a solid soft infrastructure which more options which serves a large portion of society while
includes networks and telecommunications which facilitate our protecting their data and facilitating the provision of services and
communication with each other and the world. With the increased electronic payments.” (February 22, 2022) sovereigngroup.com

Bangladesh

Bangladesh ended December 2021 with 181.32 million mobile 6.49 million in October. The report also shows that there were
phone subscribers, down from 181.32 million in October 2021, 123.73 million internet subscribers at end-October, down from
according to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication 129.46 million internet subscribers at end-October. The fixed-line
Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Grameenphone’s customer base internet user base slightly increased to 10.09 million in December
decreased to 83.46 million in December from 84.12 million in from 10.07 million in October, while mobile internet users totaled
October, while Robi Axiata ended December with 53.67 million, up 113.73 million in December, down from 119.11 million in October.
from 53.54 million in October. Banglalink had 37.22 million mobile Internet subscribers are defined as people who have used the
customers in December, up from 37.17 million in October, while internet at least once in the past 90 days.
Teletalk ended 2021 with 6.67 million mobile customers, up from (February 17, 2022) telecompaper.com

Egypt

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) network operators (MNOs) – Vodafone Egypt, Etisalat Misr and
has announced the allocation of new spectrum in the 2600MHz Telecom Egypt – all secured frequencies in the 2600MHz band in
range to Orange Egypt. In a press release the regulator confirmed H2 2020. In announcing Orange Egypt’s spectrum allocation, the
it had awarded a total of 30MHz in the 2600MHz band, in return NTRA noted that the value of frequencies in the band that have
for which Orange Egypt had agreed to pay USD440 million. The been allocated to quartet of cellcos has now reached a total of
allocation comes after all three of the country’s other mobile USD1.6 billion. (February 8,2022) commsupdate.com
89 FEBRUARY 2022