Page 113 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Morocco

Morocco’s Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, hub on both regional and global scales. As part of this strategy,
Amal Falah, has announced plans to roll out the 5G network in the government plans to secure fiber optic internet for 6,300 public
line with the country’s hosting of the 2025 African Cup of Nations administrative sites by 2026, and provide high-speed internet
and the 2030 World Cup. During a parliamentary session, Falah access to 5.6 million homes by 2030. Falah also highlighted the
detailed the kingdom’s ambitious digital agenda, aiming to achieve significant role of digital services in the development of Morocco’s
25% population coverage of 5G by 2026 and expand this to 70% telecommunications sector. The government has backed this
by 2030, prioritizing full coverage in cities hosting World Cup growth through investment agreements, with over 8.4 billion
matches. These efforts are part of Morocco’s “Digital Morocco dirhams invested in 2023 to support national digital transformation
2030” strategy, which seeks to position the country as a digital projects. (December 24, 2024) www.meatechwatch.com

Nepal

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (firewalls, routers, switches), server and storage devices, and HVAC
(MoCIT) has issued a new directive for the operation and systems. If they do not own their building, a lease agreement with
management of data centers and cloud services in Nepal. Approved the property owner must be submitted. Furthermore, data security
by Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung on Magh 15, certifications are mandatory. Existing operators must apply for
2081, the directive outlines critical regulations for service providers, listing within six months, with separate listings required for those
covering areas such as safety, privacy, and infrastructure. Service offering both data center and cloud services. For government-
providers must be registered with the Department of Information related services, operators are mandated to use services from the
and Technology (DoIT) before offering services. They are required Integrated Data Management Center (IDMC), although security
to submit various documents, including company registration agencies are exempt. Government service providers not using
and building construction certificates, and ensure fire safety government data centers must migrate, with exceptions granted
measures. A privacy policy and business continuity plan must for valid reasons. Operators must ensure full security, reporting
also be in place. Additionally, companies must submit a location any unauthorized access to regulatory bodies, and comply with
map of their data center, details about their tiers, and technical international standards. They must also conduct annual security
personnel responsible for operations. Firms need the necessary audits. (February 13, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
infrastructure to run data centers, such as network equipment

Oman

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has initiated rates and response times. Additionally, the quality of voice service
field visits to assess key telecom indicators, including social will be assessed, including sound quality and the percentage of
media performance, signal strength and coverage, data speed, and failed calls. The number of field visits by TRA has significantly
voice service quality. The field visits will cover centers across all increased and is projected to grow by 197% in 2024, reflecting the
governorates of Oman, as well as five popular tourist destinations, authority’s commitment to ensuring high-quality telecom services
including Al Ashkhara, Harat al Aqr in Nizwa, Jabal Shams, Dhofar, across Oman. (February 17, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
and Muscat Expressway, along with roads such as Sur-Quriyat,
Nizwa Ibri, Rub’ al Khali, Haima, Duqm, Adam Thumrait, Bukha, Oman’s telecommunications sector underwent notable shifts in
and important locations like Muscat, Suhar, and Duqm airports, mobile subscription patterns through the end of 2024, as postpaid
as well as the industrial estates of Suhar, Sur Free Zone, and subscriptions surged by 33.9%, reaching 2,391,951, while prepaid
Ibri. TRA’s team will closely monitor video broadcast speed and subscriptions saw a slight decline of 1.6%, totaling 5,114,919.
quality, access time for key applications, band access time, and Despite the drop in prepaid users, overall mobile subscriptions
video playback performance. The field visits will also focus on grew by 7.5% year-on-year, reaching 7,506,870. This trend highlights
measuring signal strength, including the percentage of 4G and 5G the increasing consumer preference for postpaid services in
coverage, and evaluating data speeds such as download/upload Oman. Active mobile broadband subscriptions rose to 6,455,261,

113 JAN-FEB 2025