Page 107 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

which is to be set between 2021 and 2022, according will ask NCC to accelerate the commercialization of
to industry sources. Many Taiwan-based networking 4.8-4.9 GHz bands, said it will not stop its efforts to
equipment makers, including Alpha Networks, Foxconn promote joint development of relevant networking
Technology, Compal Electronics and HTC, are all devices between ITRI (Industrial Technology Research
ready to begin mass-production for network devices Institute) and local companies. The ministry noted
supporting 4.8-4.9 GHz frequencies. With demand for that 4.8-4.9 GHz-enabled devices developed by Alpha
such devices from local companies not being seen on Networks with technology transferred from ITRI are
the horizon, these equipment suppliers are likely to tap finding their way into Japan's 5G market.
markets in Japan and China initially, said the sources. (January 12, 2021) digitimes.com
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), stating it

The Central Administrative Court has ruled that state- in September 2019 with an agreement that will see
owned operator TOT must pay market leader AIS a AIS leasing back TOT’s towers for the next ten years.
total of THB1.35 billion ($45 million) relating to a Earlier this month, AIS won another case against state-
revenue sharing concession. The sum arises from an owned CAT Telecom after the Arbitration Committee
international direct dialing service that the providers ruled that AIS subsidiary Digital Phone did not need
Thailand offered between November 2008 and September 2012. to compensate CAT following the expiration of their
The 900MHz concession agreement that covered this concession agreement. However, while AIS was quick
service expired in September 2015, and in May 2017 the to claim victory, CAT still has 90 days to petition the
Thai Arbitration Institute ruled that TOT must pay AIS committee’s ruling. CAT opened the case in January
its revenue share. TOT attempted to petition this ruling 2018, demanding that Digital Phone transfer the
but the CAC has now dismissed this challenge, giving ownership of an infrastructure holding including a call
TOT 30 days to pursue an appeal in Thailand’s Supreme center system and 4,657 towers, as well as claiming
Administrative Court. AIS has recently emerged compensation of THB13.4 billion ($445.9 million)
victorious from a number of long-running disputes, plus THB116 million per month for interest and lost
including another with TOT which the operators settled opportunity. (January 26, 2021) developingtelecoms.com

The Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory not have a period of validity beyond which the user
Authority (ARCEP) has announced it is introducing a loses the remaining balance of his credit’.
range of measures designed to strengthen consumer • reasonable validity for packages and promotions –
protections, including imposing fairer pricing. ARCEP the period of validity of a tariff plan/offer must be
Togo is reportedly ushering in new pricing standards for reasonable with regard to the subscription amount
communications services, which it has presented in and clearly communicated to consumers
five new measures that cover: • charges applied to account-to-account credit
• transparency of offers – going forward, telecoms transfers – from now on, the fees applied for these
operators must provide users with complete operations and deducted by the operators, ‘must not
transparency in their tariff offers to allow consumers exceed 3% of the amount transferred’
to make reasonable comparison of the various • ceiling for customer service – from now on, ‘the
offers available tariff for public access to operator customer support
• end of the validity period on credits – the credit on services cannot be billed at more than XOF20
a SIM card can no longer be considered as expired, [USD0.04] per call, whatever the duration of the call’.
as long as the SIM card is active’ and ‘top-ups must (January 25, 2021) Agence Ecofin

UK regulator OFCOM pushed back plans to hold a operator is “disappointed” but understands the move.
5G spectrum auction, moving the initial bidding start “The auction and subsequent release of spectrum
date by two months due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) remains central to the future rollout of mobile networks
pandemic. In a statement, the body said the principal and 5G. The economy’s recovery from Covid-19 is
United stage of the auction for the 700MHz and 3.6GHz to dependent on resilient digital infrastructure and we
urge OFCOM to resist any further requests for delays.”
3.8GHz frequency bands set for this month, is now
Kingdom scheduled for March. OFCOM added it will continue to The regulator previously said the auction will lead to an
monitor developments of the situation following the 18 per cent increase in mobile capacity in the UK and
outbreak. A BT spokesperson told Mobile World Live the the goal was to boost 5G network rollouts and improve

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