Page 79 - SAMENA Trends - January 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NTA Developing a Response Team ‘CERT’ Against Cyber-Attacks

NTA will soon develop CERT, a response team to nullify cyber- compliance with its “Cyber Security Byelaw, 2020” that has gained
attacks in telecom and ICT companies of Nepal. The Computer its exercising power by Section 62 of the Telecommunication
Emergency Response Team (CERT) will protect Nepal’s ICT and Act, 2053 (1997). As usual, NTA will select the consultant on
telecom systems from various malicious attacks and threats. This Qualification 50.0 %, Experience 40.0 %, and Capacity 10.0 %. The
will in turn “help and build trust and confidence of users towards minimum score to pass the initial EoI assessment is 60. The firm
using ICT technology and services.” Consulting firms shall will be selected as per the “Quality and Cost Based Selection”
submit their EoI online through the e-GP system www.bolpatra. (QCBS) method. The main objective of the firm will be to prepare
gov.np/egp EGP only on or before 31-01-2022. NTA’s CERT is in a DPR for the “Establishment of Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT) for Telecom/ICT/ICT industry”. Once chosen, the
consultant will study the existing laws, bylaws, policies, and
frameworks which are in place for telecom/ICT in Nepal. It shall
report the status of cyber security, major cases of cyber-attacks
to the regulator. Likewise, the consultant will also run three types
of research to CERT/CIRT for each of developing and developed
countries. NTA demands that this study include the countries’
“vision, mission, objective & strategy” for the project. Besides,
they should include human resources map, the primary scope
of CERT, detailed overview of major hardware & software in use
among others. The company shall also engage in meetings with
officials from ministries and stakeholders in coordination with
NTA. It should also study the CERT’s impact on economic, and
social areas and its contribution to the cyber security efficacy.
NTA demands the company shall also identify risks associated
with running NTA-CERT and seek proper mitigation measures.

Mobile Virtual Network Operators

Russian state-owned nuclear power Vimla to create simple, innovative and become an MVNO in France, and can now
corporation ROSATOM plans to launch valuable services for its customers.’ offer customers French mobile numbers.
an MVNO next year, Kommersant reports. Thai MVNO The White Space Co (Penguin The company’s press release notes: ‘In
According to the business daily, the MVNO SIM) has switched its business model, 2022 Zadarma is coming with a disruptive
will operate on the Tele2 network. The report as it seeks to keep pace with the shifting approach that does not limit customers
notes that Greenatom – a subsidiary of market landscape. Rather than focus on use of services and comes at a competitive
ROSATOM – received a five-year license to pre-paid mobile users, the company seeks price with no connection fees.’ Finally,
provide mobile communications services to become a smart solutions provider the National Commission for Markets
on 29 September 2021. The MVNO will focusing on 5G private networks. Chaiyod and Competition (Comision Nacional de
commence operations in September 2023. Chirabowornkul, chairman of board at los Mercados y la Competencia, CNMC)
Telenor and Amazon Web Services (AWS) The White Space, told the Bangkok Post: has fined Lycamobile Spain EUR552,000
have revealed plans to invest in joint go- ‘We provided services mainly for pre-paid (USD626,000) for breaching its obligations
to-market activities in select industries users in the beginning, but have gradually to supply subscriber data through its
– including manufacturing, supply chain adjusted services to cater to IoT for Subscriber Data Management System
and logistics, and automotive – as they enterprise customers … The competition (Sistema de Gestion de los Datos de los
seek to enable more 5G and edge services landscape has been changing and it is Abonados, SGDA). The watchdog explains
for customers. Working with AWS, Telenor hard to stick to the old business model.’ that the SGDA is used by emergency
says it has already implemented an entire The executive told the newspaper that the services, among others, and needs to have
mobile core, running in the cloud, for Vimla MVNO’s subscription base peaked at one up-to-date data for all customers. (Note:
– the group’s Swedish MVNO sub-brand. million in 2018 (around 800,000 active the fine has been reduced after Lycamobile
Telenor notes: ‘Running on AWS, Vimla’s users), but this figure has since plummeted recognized its responsibility and paid the
mobile core is scalable, programmable, to around 200,000. Bulgarian VoIP firm penalty in advance.)
and employs self-service APIs, enabling Zadarma has announced that it has

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