Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Iran’s largest cellular operator, state-backed Mobile network began last year and a pilot system is due to be switched
Communication Company of Iran (MCI), is expecting to launch 5G on shortly. The Iranian government had initially hoped to see
services by the end of the current financial year (20 March 2021). commercial services introduced in 2020.
A report from The Tehran Times says that commissioning of the (January 4, 2021) commsupdate.com

Jordan

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority confirms that it companies deny that they raise prices, these channels are It is
has received many complaints about telecom companies raising the one who raised the prices, and the authority also notes that
the prices of recharge cards, and the authority has communicated the prices of selling recharge cards are outside the authority of
directly with the companies about this issue, which in turn denied the authority and are not subject to regulation and their prices
that it raised the prices, noting that the Commission has sent are determined according to market factors. It also confirms that
official letters and awaits the official response from Before these the options for purchasing recharge cards are many and varied
companies. In this regard, the authority notes that recharge cards and at varying prices and the citizen can choose the appropriate
are a means of payment that reaches the beneficiary through method, whether through purchase Corporate exhibitions directly
distribution channels, as these channels add profit margins or through agents and points of sale, or through any of your bills.
to the original prices, whether these channels are electronic or (January 28, 2021) trc.gov.jo
through direct sales to the beneficiaries, and in the event that

Lebanon

President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan conduct their business from their homes amid the procedures
Diab exceptionally approved a request to extend the decision that and recommendations that require them to stay at home and
doubles the Internet’s speed for subscribers on the Ogero network, limit roaming to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also aims
the Ministry of Telecommunications announced. The decision, to assist students in continuing their remote education. In
which was approved earlier this year alongside coronavirus addition to that decision, President Aoun and caretaker PM Diab
(COVID-19) preventive measures, was extended temporarily, until exceptionally approved the temporary extension of the decision
March 31st, 2021. It requires the doubling of the Internet’s speed that reduces the additional international and local capacities
for limited-speed subscriptions that have no consumption limits, required from internet and information transmission companies.
and the doubling of the consumption capacity for subscriptions This is to provide more facility to subscribers during the general
with limited capacities, within available technical possibilities, mobilization and its restrictions. Lebanon recently extended the
free of additional costs. The Telecommunications Ministry said general mobilization until the end of March 2020.
the extension comes in a move to make room for citizens to (January 3, 2021) the961.com

Nepal

Nepal moved to the 111th position in the world in terms of ahead of Nepal with a broadband speed of 24.86 mbps. While Sri
fixed broadband speed in December, an improvement of five Lanka was ranked 107th with an average internet speed of 26.86
places compared to the previous month. A global index report mbps, India was in the 65th position and had an average internet
published by Ookla, a US-based firm that analyzes internet speed of 53.90 mbps. Thailand, with an average speed of 308.35
connection speeds, has ranked Nepal at the 111th position with mbps, was in the top rank of fixed broadband speed in the lists
an average fixed broadband speed of 24.05 mbps. Last April, it of 176 countries considered for the assessment. Regarding the
was recorded at 17.97 mbps. In December, Nepal's download mobile data speed, Nepal observed a slight improvement with the
speed was recorded at 24.05 mbps against the global average country moving up from 114th in November to 115th last month.
of 96.43 mbps. The upload speed was recorded at 22.46 mbps (January 24, 2021) myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com
compared to the global average of 52.31 mbps. The Maldives was

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