Page 102 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Latvian telecoms watchdog the Public Utilities The Public Utilities Commission (Sabiedrisko
Commission (SPRK) will temporarily suspend its Pakalpojumu Regulesanas Komisija, SPRK) has
internet quality measurements until it completes initiated a public consultation on new draft rules
development and implementation of a new system, regarding interconnection. The regulation sets out the
Latvia based on a prototype system developed by the Body requirements, deadlines and information that must be
of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
disclosed in a basic interconnection offer. The SPRK
(BEREC). The regulator expects the new measurement notes that the rules include new obligations on the
tool to be in place during 2021 and, once it becomes information to be included in the offer, such as the
operational, the SRPK will resume its quality location of interconnection points, the specifications
assessments. According to the SPRK, the new tool of the equipment used to provide the interconnection
will: ‘provide the possibility to perform measurements and the wholesale services offered, and the procedure
according to a common measurement method with for reporting and rectifying faults. Operators that are
the possibility to compare quality indicators between obliged to publish a basic interconnection offer will
different countries. In addition, the system will enable be required to make the document available on its
the regulator to determine whether an ISP is blocking website. Providers that have already published a basic
or blocking access to a page or service. interconnection offer will be required to amend the offer
(January 19, 2021) commsupdate.com in line with the new rules. The regulator is accepting
comments on the draft regulations until 17 February.
(January 15, 2021) commsupdate.com

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador,
(Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has widely known as AMLO, intends to present his
announced plans to stage a public tender to enable the cabinet with a proposal to evaluate whether certain
commercial exploitation of 41 blocks of radioelectric government institutions – including the Federal
Mexico spectrum. Spectrum included in the sale process Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal
spans the 800MHz, 1900MHz, 1700MHz/2100MHz de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) – could be abolished
and 2.5GHz bands, and the concessions cover a and merged into existing ministries. According to
combination of regional and national coverage areas. Reuters, Lopez Obrador, who has implemented steep
The watchdog notes that the tender will help to expand budget cuts and trimming wasteful expenditure since
coverage to underserved locations, notably in the taking office, seeks to use the funding to support
south-east of the country. Indeed, specific coverage welfare and infrastructure spending. While the IFT
obligations have been established for the states of has managed to dent America Movil’s market power
Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz. The tender will since its introduction in 2013, AMLO maintains that
consist of four stages, the first of which will commence the watchdog has failed in its duty to rein-in the
next month, although the formal submission of bids monopolistic power of some companies.
is not scheduled to take place until September. The (January 13, 2021) commsupdate.com
available spectrum is broken down as follows:
Block A1: one block; 814MHz-824MHz/859MHz- Mexican industrial conglomerate ALFA has cancelled
869MHz (Regions 1-4); the sale of its telecoms unit, despite attracting a
Blocks A5.01-A9.05: 37 blocks; 814MHz- ‘double-digit’ number of bidders. The competitive
824MHz/859MHz-869MHz (Regions 5-9); sale process reached its second phase before ALFA
Block B1: one block; 1755MHz-1760MHz/2155MHz- called it off. On 21 December ALFA stated: ‘Following
2160MHz (national coverage); an exhaustive evaluation process, [ALFA’s] Board
Block C1: one block; 2500MHz-2530MHz/2620MHz- of Directors determined that it would be in the
2650MHz (various locations); and shareholders’ best interest to redirect efforts to attract
Block D1: one block; 1910MHz-1915MHz/1990MHz- strategic proposals for its two separate business units
1995MHz (national coverage). (Infrastructure and Services) and maintain all options
(January 26, 2021) commsupdate.com open to maximize value.’ (January 5, 2021) commsupdate.com

Airtel Africa has announced that an application for the 30 November 2021 but have now been extended for
renewal of its Nigerian subsidiary’s spectrum licenses a further ten years, to 30 November 2031. Under the
has been approved by the Nigerian Communications terms of the spectrum licenses, Airtel Nigeria has
Nigeria Commission (NCC). Airtel Nigeria’s 900MHz and paid NGN71.611 billion (USD186.7 million) in renewal
1800MHz spectrum licenses were due to expire on
fees. ‘I am pleased to announce that our application
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