Page 114 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

EC Aims to Cut Red Tape Around 5G Rollout

A European Commission (EC) proposal set to be released next document reportedly states several of the proposed changes aims
month will outline a shake-up to existing regulation to help to clarify rules and streamline procedures, along with clearly laying
operators with the cost of rolling out 5G, Reuters reported, part of out rights and obligations. The EC is also expected to propose
a wider plan for all citizens in the bloc to have access to gigabit operators have ready access to physical infrastructure owned or
connectivity by 2030. Reuters reported an official document controlled by public sector bodies regardless of its location, with
outlines EC goals to cut red tape to help major operators the European Union stepping in to resolve disputes.
including Deutsche Telekom, Orange and Telecom Italia push out
5G. The news agency stated the measures could slash annual
administrative costs to the tune of about €40 million. The EC’s
latest push aims to help with a wider plan for all Europeans have
access to gigabit connectivity and 5G, as well as ensure 75 per cent
of companies operating in the continent use cloud infrastructure
or AI by the end of the decade. It will release more details on the
proposal, dubbed the Gigabit Infrastructure Act, on 10 February.
In 2022, industry groups ETNO and the GSMA piled pressure on
the EC to encourage big technology companies to share the cost
of deploying the infrastructure required to meet the 2030 gigabit
connectivity goal. Fleshing out the cost cutting measures, the EC

Court Rejects Competition Bureau’s Appeal of Rogers-Shaw Takeover

Approval

Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal by the to result in higher prices for consumers in Shaw’s western
head of the Competition Bureau against the Competition Tribunal’s heartlands of Alberta and British Columbia. Minister of Innovation,
approval of the proposed merger of Roger Communications and Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne must now
Shaw Communications and the associated proposed takeover of approve spectrum license transfers from Shaw to Videotron before
Shaw’s subsidiary Freedom Mobile by Videotron. Commissioner of the combination of Rogers and Shaw can proceed. Rogers, Shaw
Competition Matthew Boswell had challenged the 31 December and Videotron’s parent Quebecor gave a joint statement welcoming
2022 Tribunal decision which had concluded that selling Shaw’s the ‘unequivocal and unanimous’ Court of Appeal decision, noting
Freedom Mobile division to Quebec-based Videotron was unlikely that they ‘continue to work’ with Innovation, Science and Economic
Development Canada (ISED) to secure the final approval needed
to close the transactions ‘and create a stronger fourth wireless
carrier in Canada and a more formidable wireline competitor’. The
31 January 2023 merger deadline cannot be extended without
permission from Quebecor. In addition to Competition Tribunal
approval, the Rogers-Shaw merger has already been approved
by the shareholders of Shaw and the Court of King’s Bench of
Alberta, and the transfer of Shaw’s broadcasting licenses to
Rogers has been approved by the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Viya Asks to Be Freed from PSC Regulatory Oversight

US Virgin Islands-based full-service telecoms operator Viya has providers – a competition that is more than adequate to ensure
requested that its fixed voice service be freed from oversight by that Viya prioritizes the best interests of its customers.’ Local news
the Public Services Commission (PSC), arguing that the market site the St. Thomas Source quotes PSC chairman David Hughes as
has changed dramatically over the last two decades. In its filing, saying that Viya was entitled to ‘a level playing field’ but cautioned
the telco stated: ‘Today, Viya provides landline voice service to only that the telco remains ‘the carrier of last resort’ for residents
a small minority of the USVI’s voice customers. It faces intense situated in rural locations. Interested parties are invited to submit
competition from many mobile and fixed voice and broadband comments to the regulatory body by 31 January.

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