Page 140 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The National Public Services Authority (Autoridad from the Panamanian telecoms market as a result of
Nacional de los Servicios Publicos, ASEP) has the merger between Cable & Wireless Panama (CWP,
announced that pre-qualification for its public tender +Movil) and Claro, which it said represented an ‘illegal
for a new mobile licensee will commence on 12 economic concentration’. Digicel’s concession was duly
Panama January, with the first stage of the licensing process transferred to the ASEP on 27 April 2022. On 2 August
expected to culminate on 16 March. Public tender No.
ASEP’s ‘intervention period’ was extended by a further
01-2023-Telco will seek to fill the void created by the 180 days; this is due to expire at the end of January
exit of Digicel Panama, by offering a new concession to 2023. The new licensee will become the third mobile
operate and exploit the vacated PCS license (No.106) operator, alongside the newly enlarged CWP/Claro, and
as well as allowing for the purchase of certain Digicel Tigo Panama, which comprises the former Movistar
assets. The regulator notes: ‘We reiterate to all Digicel assets acquired by Millicom International Cellular (MIC)
customers, as well as to its collaborators and suppliers, in August 2019. (Note: the Claro brand is allowed to be
that the company continues to operate hand-in- phased out from 17 January 2023, after the expiration
hand with the auditor, providing its services without of a ten-month grace period.) With LatAm-focused
interruptions. Digicel will maintain its operations until groups Millicom and Liberty Latin America (LLA) already
the entry of the new operator and, in addition, it will present in Panama, and Telefonica, America Movil (AM)
accompany the new company in the transition process.’ and Digicel all exiting the sector in recent years there is
In April 2022 Digicel Panama announced that it no obvious candidate for the new concession.
intended to apply for voluntary liquidation and withdraw (January 10, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Transport and Communications (Minis- Public Spaces (Espacios Publicos de Acceso Digital,
terio de Transportes y Comunicaciones, MTC) has an- EPAD) initiative. According to the ministry the initiative
nounced plans for a pilot scheme to test the sharing of provided close to three million internet connections in
active mobile access network infrastructure by multiple 2022 through 223 EPAD sites installed across the Aya-
Peru providers. The Multi Operator Core Networks (MOCN) cucho, Apurimac, Cusco and Huancavelica regions.
scheme will run for six months at three base stations
in Lima and one in Lambayeque, using sites owned my (January 20, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
Telefonica del Peru (Movistar) and Entel Peru. The MTC
expects that greater sharing of infrastructure will help The Peruvian government has modified and relaunched
improve coverage and service quality, by ensuring that its auction of spectrum in the 1700MHz band, which
operators can reach more users with the same number had been suspended in February 2022 following
of sites. At the same time the practice would reduce in- several postponements. The new tender comprises
vestment, operating and maintenance costs. The MTC the allocation of two 2×15MHz lots of 1700MHz
has also unveiled plans to establish 2,417 free Wi-Fi frequencies, plus 1×30MHz in the 2300MHz band.
zones in public spaces in rural towns across the coun- The winning applicant will be selected on the basis of
try with the intention of reducing the digital divide. The technical proposals for the expansion of 4G mobile
project is being handled by the National Telecommuni- services. The auction process also includes a round of
cations Program (Programa Nacional de Telecomunica- consultation on the potential modification of the terms
ciones, Pronatel) under the government’s Digital Access of the license. (January 10, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The National Telecommunications that its Starlink User Terminals be Commission (NTC) has provided
Commission (NTC) in the classified as customer premise an update on the country’s ongoing
Philippines has approved a equipment [CPE] and not to subject Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
request from SpaceX’s local the same to radio station licensing card registration process, noting
Philippines operating unit, Starlink Internet as it nears its commercial rollout.’ that the total passed 17 million on
Nonetheless,
Starlink
Services Philippines, asking that
10 January, a little over two weeks
Internet
its equipment be exempted from Services Philippines will still be since mandatory registration
radio station licensing. With SpaceX required to file an application for the began. However, with the total
looking to hasten the commercial modification of its Type acceptance standing at 17,115,910 at that
deployment of its technology in certificates with the NTC’s date, it represented just 10.13% of
the country, the NTC confirmed Equipment Standards Division. the 168,977,773 total number of
via a statement that it ‘deemed (February 6, 2023) www.commsupdate.com subscriptions in the Philippines.
approved the request of Starlink The NTC’s data confirmed that
Internet Services Philippines Inc. The National Telecommunications PLDT’s Smart Communications

140 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023