Page 134 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The French government has launched a new support AI and machine learning. The scheme is part of Pres-
scheme for research and development (R&D) projects ident Macron’s France 2030 strategy, a EUR30 billion
on advanced 5G, 6G and future network generations. (USD32.4 billion) plan unveiled in 2021 aimed at mod-
The government has given all interested parties until ernizing the economy; the government has earmarked
France 29 February 2024 to submit applications for solutions EUR750 million of the budget for the 5G/6G R&D sup-
port scheme by 2025.
linked to virtualization, open interfaces on access net-
works, edge computing, security, and the integration of (January 13, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Federal Network Agency (FNA, known locally as requirements, while traffic routes are almost completely
the Bundesnetzagentur or BNetzA) is reviewing reports supplied with 100Mbps. Where these targets could not
submitted by mobile network operators (MNOs) to be fulfilled, operators have blamed delays on a lack of
determine whether they met the coverage requirements building permits, a need for third parties involvement,
Germany of the 2019 multi-band spectrum auction. These a lack of public acceptance for new cell phone sites,
and nature conservation requirements. The trio largely
include an obligation to provide mobile data speeds of
at least 100Mbps to 98% of households in each federal achieved the obligation to activate 1,000 5G base
state by the end of 2022, as well as supplying all federal stations, although newcomer 1&1 did not meet this
motorways, the most important federal roads and the target on time. The FNA is currently reviewing the
major rail routes with those speeds. In addition, 1,000 information provided by the operators and will conduct
5G base stations were required to be set up by end-2022, its own measurements by the end of March. The
plus 500 base stations in underserved ‘white spots’ regulator will then decide on whether each company
areas. According to their own information, Telekom has fulfilled the coverage requirements of their mobile
Deutschland, Telefonica Deutschland and Vodafone spectrum licenses.
Germany all claim they fulfilled the household coverage (January 16, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has Fintech solutions,” the notice said. It said the NCA
granted a conditional approval for the transfer of the found that the revised proposal provided more clarity
70 per cent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana to and certainty in terms of the funding required for the
Telecel Group. This is subject to concessions made by acquisition and the commitments from both the Seller
Ghana Vodafone and representations made by Telecel to the and Buyer. In addition, the Buyer had strengthened the
overall governance and management team and made
NCA. It is still pursuant to the evaluation of the revised
proposal from the Telecel Group. A notice posted on the firm commitments towards meeting the regulatory
regulator’s website today (January 16), said “it would requirements of the NCA. “Based on the above, the
be recalled that in January 2022, the NCA received an NCA confirms that the revised proposal from the
application from Vodafone Ghana for the transfer of Buyer now meets the regulatory threshold and hence
70 per cent of its majority shares held by the Seller to has granted a conditional approval for the transfer of
the Buyer. It said in accordance with due process, the shares to the Buyer including submission of strategies
NCA evaluated the application on various criteria and for employee retention. “The NCA would like to assure
engaged both Vodafone Ghana and Telecel. “The NCA the general public and all stakeholders that it would
concluded that the request did not meet the regulatory continue to work with Vodafone Ghana and the Buyer
threshold for approval to be granted. “Following the to complete all outstanding regulatory requirements
NCA’s decision, the Buyer resubmitted a revised to ensure a smooth transition as well as continuity of
financial and technical proposal in December 2022 service delivery and improved choice for consumers
which demonstrated the needed capital investment to and competition within the industry,” it added.
extend the deployment of 4G and launch innovative (January 16, 2023) www.graphic.com.gh

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has Asia Xpress and India Europe Xpress cables (Jio holds
reportedly expressed concerns regarding applications a significant stake in both systems); Airtel has sought
for submarine cable landing station authorizations from permission to land the 2Africa and SeaMeWe-6 cables
several telcos, the Hindu writes. According to the paper, (Bharti Airtel is understood to have no stake in 2Africa,
India the DoT noted that some of the applicants – Reliance but is part of the SeaMeWe-6 consortium); and Sify has
submitted an application to land the Raman cable, but is
Jio Infocomm (Jio), Bharti Airtel, and Sify Technologies
– are not stakeholders in the cable systems that they understood to not have a stake in the system. Under the
land. Jio has applied for authorizations to land the India current regulations, companies deploying international
134 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023