Page 122 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) understand the impact of OTT services on telecommu-
and its Ministry of Information and Communications nications networks and on the user experience. It also
Technologies (MinTIC) have announced the launch of seeks to identify opportunities such as the development
a public consultation focused on OTT (over the top) of the digital ecosystem and encouraging a competitive
Colombia digital services. It began on 11 December 2024 and will and sustainable environment. Another area of study will
continue until 31 January 2025. This initiative seeks be equitable access and free choice for users – nota-
to collect detailed information on the operation and bly evaluating current cooperation agreements. Invest-
operation of these digital platforms that use internet ments in technological infrastructure will also be exam-
networks to connect, communicate or facilitate trans- ined, in particular identifying barriers to, and incentives
actions between users. OTT services include platforms for, the deployment of networks. The consultation also
such as messaging applications, social networks, au- includes an analysis of current and future investments
diovisual content streaming services, internet calls by telecommunications network and service providers
and e-commerce solutions. These tools have become and OTT digital services agents, addressing possible
a key component of the digital ecosystem. The main regulatory and technological barriers.
objective of this consultation, therefore, is to better (December 16, 2024) www.developingtelecoms.com

Seven prequalified companies have confirmed to Costa training of any representatives chosen by the operators
Rica’s regulator Sutel their participation in the 5G spec- to familiarize them with the software they will use in the
trum auction in Costa Rica, which will take place this auction, software that, Sutel says, offers satisfactory
month. In phase one of the tender, operators Claro and levels of security, transparency and trust, and fits in with
Costa Rica Liberty will bid for spectrum for 5G at the national level. the specific requirements of the auction. The national
In phase two, the other five companies – Coopealfaro- 5G auction, involving Liberty and Claro, will be held on
ruiz, Coopeguanacaste, Coopelesca, Coopesantos and 23 January 2025, while the regional tender will be held
Ring Centrales de Costa Rica – will bid for frequencies on 24 January. The funds raised will be channeled into
at the regional level. The spectrum bands that will be the development of programmes by the country’s Na-
made available include the 700MHz, 2.3GHz, 3.5GHz, tional Telecommunications Fund, to finance access to
26GHz and 28GHz bands. All companies involved have telephony and internet among vulnerable populations.
accepted the basic prices of the spectrum and the infra- It could take up to 25 days for Sutel to make its formal
structure units they will be required to deploy after be- recommendations for the award of frequencies to the
ing informed of these conditions on 17 December last Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Tele-
year. Sutel says that today, 13 January, sees the start of communications. (January 14, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com

The country is actively working to extend the coverage increasing investments in infrastructure, Djibouti aims
of mobile telephone and high-speed Internet services to to become a technology hub in East Africa by 2035.
the entire population by 2027. To achieve this objective, Last December, the public company Djibouti Telecom
strategic partnerships are essential. The government signed a partnership with Ericsson for the deployment
Djibouti wants to strengthen its cooperation with the Internation- of 5G, marking a key step in this transition. According to
al Telecommunications Union (ITU) in the field of digital DataReportal data from January 2024, Djibouti had ap-
and telecommunications. The issue was at the heart proximately 553,800 mobile subscribers, representing a
of discussions during a meeting on Tuesday, January penetration rate of 48.4%. The number of Internet users
28, between the Djiboutian Minister of Communication stood at 744,200, representing 65% of the population. In
in charge of Posts and Telecommunications, Radwan terms of cybersecurity, the country has just adopted a
Abdillahi Bahdon, and the director of the ITU regional national strategy for the period 2024-2030. In addition,
office for the Arab States, Adel Darwish (photo, center). the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 report ranks
Discussions focused on several strategic areas, includ- Djibouti in Tier 4 with a score of 31.47 out of 100, high-
ing improving connectivity in remote areas, deploying lighting the efforts needed to strengthen cybersecurity
5G and strengthening cybersecurity. Djibouti is looking capacities. ITU support is expected to assist Djibouti in
to benefit from ITU's expertise and support to develop implementing its cybersecurity strategy, as well as im-
solutions tailored to local challenges and modernize its proving connectivity in rural areas, a government prior-
digital infrastructure. These discussions are part of the ity under the flagship “Djibouti Fondement Numérique”
Djiboutian government's vision to make digital technol- project, supported by the World Bank.
ogy a lever for economic and social development. With (January 31, 2025) www.agenceecofin.com

122 JAN-FEB 2025