Page 105 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Communications (ANCOM) had previously indicated The National Authority for Management and Regulation
that it expected 5G licenses in the 700MHz, 800MHz, in Communications (ANCOM) has proposed extending
1500MHz, 2600MHz and 3400MHz-3800MHz the validity of four existing licenses in the 2100MHz band
frequency bands to be awarded by the end of 2019. until 31 December 2031. The regulator has proposed
However, this was later pushed back to 2020 in order a fee equivalent to EUR30 million (USD33.6 million)
to allow the new government to set spectrum license to extend the licenses held by Orange and Vodafone,
prices as part of the 2020 budget, as well as implement which expire in March 2020, whereas RCS&RDS and
a security memorandum signed between the US and Telekom Romania Mobile Communications would pay
Romania, the terms of which have not been disclosed. EUR25 million to extend their licenses beyond January
The Romanian authorities are also awaiting the release 2022. The consultation will close on 17 January 2020.
of a new set of security specifications being formulated Orange, Vodafone and Telekom Romania currently use
by the European Commission. the 2100MHz band for the provision of 3G networks
(January 3, 2020) commsupdate.com and services, while RCS&RDS uses it for both 3G and
4G. (January 2, 2020) commsupdate.com

The telecoms regulator the Infocomm Media expected to affect the timeline for Singapore’s rollout.
Development Authority (IMDA) has pushed back the The IMDA has said that the rollout of new networks
deadline for 5G license bids to give the city-state’s can begin this year, but notes that nationwide coverage
mobile network operators (MNOs) more time to submit may take much longer and be initially limited to only
Singapore their proposals. Citing MNOs’ requests for ‘more time’, two networks – due to the current scarcity of suitable
5G airwaves for island-wide coverage. Wider coverage
the IMDA announced that it is extending the initial Call
for Proposal deadline that opened on 17 October 2019 will start being provided in 2022, The Business Times
and was originally set to close on 21 January 2020. With notes. All four of Singapore’s MNOs – Singtel, StarHub,
the authorities keen to auction frequencies to support M1 Limited and TPG (Singapore) – have welcomed the
four fifth-generation networks, the extension is not regulator’s decision. (January 10, 2020) commsupdate.com

The merger between SK Broadband, a subsidiary of deal requested by SK Telecom and Taekwang Industrial,
Korea’s top mobile carrier, SK Telecom, and No. 2 the parent firm of t-broad, in May 2019. Under the deal,
cable TV operator t-broad received a green light as SK Telecom’s shares in the merged company will stand
the country’s ICT Ministry confirmed its original ruling at a commanding 74.4 percent, with Taekwang serving
of granting conditional approval to the combination. as the second-largest shareholder at 16.8 percent.
South Korea The Ministry of Science and ICT upheld its decision SK Telecom said the merged entity will be officially
from December, which gave approval to the deal on established in April. It is estimated the merged entity,
the condition that the merged company comply with to be controlled by SK Telecom, will take a 23.9 percent
fair business practices and keep employment stable. share of the pay TV market. Industry insiders expected
The Ministry’s latest decision comes one day after the that local telecom firms will try to acquire other major
Korea Communications Commission gave the merger cable TV operators - D’Live, Central Multi Broadcasting
deal its conditional approval regarding broadcasting and Hyundai HCN - to bulk themselves up in the pay TV
laws. It wraps up an eight-month review of the merger market. (January 21, 2020) koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (Post & Over the next three years it plans to distribute a total
Telestyrelsen, PTS) has presented a plan for the of EUR650 million in subsidies to cover areas where
distribution of subsidies to develop fixed broadband market forces will not drive commercial rollouts. The
infrastructure to meet EU digital agenda goals. The government hopes to have every household passed by
Sweden regulator says EUR150 million (USD166 million) will gigabit-capable networks by 2025.
be made available in 2020 to support projects to bring (January 21, 2020) commsupdate.com
high speed access to rural communities in four regions.

105 JANUARY 2020