Page 119 - SAMENA Trends - Jan-Mar 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

She added that the upcoming study reinforces the community needs. Fatema Mohamad Al Doseri, Derasat Director of Opinion
partnership and cooperation between the iGA and various Polls & Surveys, said that Derasat’s participation in this study
academic and national organizations involved in such research, underlines its role in supporting decision makers with precise and
and that they are crucial for maintaining impartiality. The director up-to-date information. "It offers statistical support for eService
expressed iGA’s pride in its collaboration with 'Derasat', which providers, in line with the major advancements that the Kingdom
is expected to enhance the quality of eChannels in the Kingdom is experiencing and its comprehensive digital transformation."
of Bahrain, meeting the government's aspirations and users' (January 10, 2024) www.bna.bh

Bangladesh

Bangladesh will gear up its broadband speed to 10 GBPS by 2041 end of December, data show. (February 13, 2024) www.tbsnews.net
from existing 10 Mbps to meet the growing demand for high-speed
connectivity amid the country’s rapid digital transformation. The telecom regulator issued guidelines on the usage of radio
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) frequencies, apparatus and equipment by Internet Service
is formulating a National Broadband Policy-2021, incorporating Providers (ISPs). The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory
20 Mbps as minimum internet speed from the existing 10Mbps, Commission (BTRC) said the instructions were issued to streamline,
officials said. Being instructed, the BTRC is working to upgrade restructure, and bring an order the frequency allocation process
the broadband policy by setting a target to increase the speed under the ISP license and make the overall process transparent.
of broadband connectivity to 30 Mbps by 2023 (short term), 2 The ISPs have been providing wireless internet services through
Gbps by 2031 (midterm) and 10 Gbps by 2041 (long-term). Later, the allocated ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band.
the government formulated a policy in 2011 fixing the speed to Various important organizations (banks, embassies, international
512kbps, 1 Mbps in 2013, 2 Mbps in 2015, 5 Mbps in 2016, 10 Mbps organizations, industrial plants, etc.) require wireless connectivity
in 2018 and 20 Mbps in 2021. In framing the policy, the BTRC took as an alternative to the wired core connection used for data
initiatives including forming national taskforce committee and communication, which is provided by wireless ISPs. The ISM radio
determining the scope of work, holding coordination meetings bands are frequencies reserved internationally for the use of radio
with A4AI and a2i and other stakeholders, forming a team to frequency (RF) energy for industrial, scientific and medical uses
review the draft policy, preparing a sector-wise short outline, other than telecommunications. BTRC said the instruction would
organizing seminars to collect inputs and setting short, mid and provide a clear understanding among ISP operators about the
long-term targets. (March 15, 2024) www.daily-sun.com requirement of authorization and related application processes
for the use of frequencies. The BTRC instruction states that
Nearly seven million new internet users were added in 2023 in ISPs can get allocations of ISM Band (2.4000 -2.4835 GHz and
Bangladesh, bringing the total number of subscribers to 131 5.7255.875 GHz), 5 GHz Band (4.900 -5.725 GHz) and Microwave.
million by the year's end, according to data recently released The directions said that ISPs should be subject to prior approval of
by the country's telecom regulator. Data from the Bangladesh BTRC or should import through BTRC-listed vendor organizations
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission showed the user as per prevailing norms, if any type of wireless equipment is
base includes some 118.49 million mobile internet users and required to be imported. "In cases of purchase from the local
12.88 million broadband internet users. Last year witnessed an market instead of import, the concerned ISPs should comply with
increase of 10.61 million mobile users, bringing the total number the guidelines, and the BTRC would notify details of the equipment
of mobile users in the country to 190.81 million. Subscribers of as per Annexure-Kha," it said. All ISPs who have previously been
mobile operators GrameenPhone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink Digital listed in the ISM band or have received permission to use the
Communications, and Teletalk Bangladesh stood at 82.20 million, frequencies in the ISM band should re-apply for the same in light
58.67 million, 43.48 million, and 6.46 million, respectively, at the of the issuance of this directive. (January 11, 2024) thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Egypt

The number of mobile subscriptions in Egypt increased by 6.1 ICT Indicators Quarterly Bulletin for Q4 of 2023 showed an increase
million in 2023 compared with 2022, to 106.2 million, according in mobile subscriptions from 99.38 million in December 2022 to
to the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information 106.21 million subscriptions in December 2023. The bulletin also
Technology in its quarterly report issued in March. The ministry’s showed that Egyptian mobile internet users – including voice and

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