Page 105 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Romania’s National Authority for Management and The National Authority for Management and Regulation
Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has revealed in Communications (ANCOM) has fined Telekom
that 945,186 telephone numbers were ported in 2020, Romania Mobile Communications RON700,000
of which 92% (873,519) were mobile numbers and only (USD143,475) for non-fulfilment of its spectrum license
Romania 71,667 fixed line numbers. RCS&RDS (DIGI) accepted obligation to provide mobile voice coverage to at least
the most mobile porting requests (377,536), followed
98% of the country’s population. The regulator’s most
by Telekom Romania Communications (141,795), recent monitoring survey conducted between August
Vodafone (133,158), Orange (125,633) and Telekom and December 2020 found that all four of the country’s
Romania Mobile Communications (95,375). Post-paid mobile network operators (MNOs) increased their
customers accounted for 55% of the mobile numbers voice services footprint last year. Orange Romania’s
ported. Fixed telephone numbers were ported between mobile voice services covered 98.27% of the country’s
the main providers as follows: RCS&RDS 34,014, population in 2020, compared with 97.81% the
Orange 13,671, Vodafone 12,792, Telecom Romania previous year, Vodafone Romania achieved 98.16%
Communications 4,899 and GTS Telecom 3,200. coverage (up from 97.76% in 2019), RCS&RDS (DIGI)
Almost 7.3 million numbers have now been transferred 98.02% (2019: 95.42%) and Telekom Romania Mobile
between networks since the portability service was Communications 97.25% (2019: 96.63%). Under
introduced in October 2008. Of these, 6.4 million (87%) the terms of their radio spectrum licenses, Orange,
have been mobile numbers and over 900,000 landline Vodafone and Telekom Mobile were obliged to cover at
numbers. (January 21, 2021) commsupdate.com least 98% of the population with voice services through
their own radio access network by 5 April 2017, and
RCS&RDS by 5 April 2019. (January 15, 2021) commsupdate.com

The government is looking to license a telecoms there. No timeline is given concerning the selection
operator to offer fixed voice and data, mobile and process for the would-be quad-play licensee, but Allen
TV services on the island, or ‘a new hybrid offering notes that: ’[there is] the opportunity for the island to
all of the services in innovative and creative ways’, totally embrace a digital future that will solve many
Saint according to Tom Allen who is acting as a consultant of their current challenges, including the ability to use
on the project. In a LinkedIn post, Allen noted that
credit or debit cards. Saint Helena could become a
Helena the development is potentially exciting as the remote Smart Everything, from supporting remote learning at
tropical island is about to get connected to a 100Gbps every level, to super secure data centers and satellite
fiber connection when the Google Equiano cable lands ground stations.’ (January 8, 2021) commsupdate.com

Serbia delayed its 5G auction again for the end of 2021 noted operators registered interest in airwaves due
due to the COVID-19 pandemic scuppering investment to the potential to transform the industrial sector, and
plans of operators, reported Serbian news agency consumers will not be using 5G networks for mobile
Tanjug. Tatjana Matic, minister of trade, tourism and content services “to a large extent”. Serbia originally
Serbia telecommunications, said due to the “global economic planned to hold its 5G auction at the end of 2020 but
this was pushed back to Q1 this year, also due to the
crisis” and the unpredictable effects the pandemic
has on businesses, companies have “withdrawn” effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
potential 5G rollout plans citing uncertainty. Matic (January 2, 2021) developingtelecoms.com

MTN Group reportedly threatened legal action against scheme, ICASA will use a criterion to ensure smaller
South Africa’s telecoms regulator over rules set for an operators are able to access spectrum before larger
upcoming spectrum auction, opposing a plan to allow rivals. For example, national operators with a retail
small operators first dibs on certain frequencies. market share of more than 45 per cent in more than ten
South Africa South African technology website MyBroadband municipalities are unable to bid on certain spectrum in
the first round. MTN argued the scheme could mean
reported it had viewed a letter from MTN lawyers
contesting the Independent Communications Authority tier-two operators (those with less than a market share
of South Africa’s (ICASA) proposal to exclude network of 45 per cent in fewer than ten municipalities) snap up
operators from initially bidding on lots of spectrum all of the 3500MHz spectrum made available.
based on their market share. Dubbed the “opt-in” (January 7, 2021) mobileworldlive.com

105 JANUARY 2021