Page 85 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Telefonica Fulfils German

Coverage Requirements

Telefonica Deutschland says the end of 2019. Telefonica
it has fulfilled the national is investing around EUR4
coverage requirements set billion (USD4.8 billion) in its
by the Federal Network networks by 2022 and plans
Agency (FNA) as it is now to supply around 30% of the
able to supply 98% of German population with 5G by the
households with 4G services. end of this year and increase
The company rolled out coverage nationwide by
around 7,200 LTE stations in 2025. The firm became
previously unserved areas Germany’s third mobile
and along transport routes network operator (MNO)
last year, and installed an to introduce 5G services
additional 3,800 transmitters on 3 October when the
to increase capacity and network was activated in the
connection speeds, allowing country’s five largest cities
it to serve seven million of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich,
more people with 4G than at Frankfurt and Cologne.

US, Canada Sign Cross-Border Spectrum Coordination Pact

The US Federal Communications Arrangement will help eliminate the US/Canadian authorities will have
Commission (FCC) and Innovation, Science interference along the US-Canada border flexibility to create and update spectrum
& Economic Development Canada (ISED) and support rapid deployment of new coordination arrangements in response to
have signed an arrangement to implement communications services. The modernized rapidly evolving communications needs.
a modernized framework for cross-border agreement supersedes, among other These decisions also ensure that all
radio frequency spectrum coordination, existing instruments, the Above 30MHz stations and frequencies coordinated prior
covering usage of frequencies by terrestrial Agreement which has not been updated to the GCA’s entry in force maintain their
and earth stations. An FCC statement since 1962 and restricted the types of coordinated status.
said that the new General Coordination arrangements available for spectrum
Agreement (GCA) and Transitional coordination. Under the new framework,

Personal Data Protection Bill Under MoIT Enter Final Stage

Personal Data Protection Bill under Ministry of the Ministry. Federal Minister for IT and policies of social media companies. He
of IT and Telecommunication, has entered Syed Amin Ul Haque said it is our topmost said that the bill encompasses fundamental
into final phase. On the direction of Federal priority to ensure protection of Pakistani rights including human rights and digital
Minister for IT and Telecommunication citizens’ data. Objective of this bill is to rights. The Federal Minister for IT said that
Syed Amin Ul Haque, points of maintaining protect Pakistani consumers’ data and draft Personal Data Protection Bill will be
privacy and economic continuity have been promote economic activities, he added. He dispatched to concerned department soon
incorporated in the bill. In this regard a said that the Personal Data Protection Bill for giving it legal shape. After the approval
high level meeting was held under Federal was prepared with the consultation of all of the bill, the data of Pakistani consumers
Minister for IT and Telecommunication the stakeholders and their proposals were will be safe according to international
Syed Amin Ul Haque here on Thursday. included in it. The Federal Minister said standards, he said.
The meeting was attended by Secretary IT that Data Protection bill had been prepared
Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and senior officers while keeping in view all international rules

85 JANUARY 2021