Page 97 - SAMENA Trends - January 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The telecoms regulator Arcep has revealed the number 1800MHz/2100MHz and 1,934 in the 3500MHz bands,
of operational 5G sites in the country at the end of while Altice boasted 1,475 sites (1800MHz/2100MHz)
Q3 2021, with Free Mobile leading the pack with and 1,934 (3,500MHz). For its part, Orange had 475
12,000 base transceiver stations (BTS), followed by sites in the 1800MHz/2100MHz and 2,177 BTS in the
France Bouygues Telecom (5,003), Altice France (3,160) and 3500MHz bands. Elsewhere, Orange France had a total
of 19,857 LTE-A sites – using carrier aggregation (CA)
Orange (2,473). Free is the sole operator currently
offering 5G commercial services in the 700MHz and in at least two bands and capable of offering minimum
800MHz bands (12,000 sites), with 1,691 of these speeds of 240Mbps – at the end of Q3 2021, followed
sites also equipped to offer services in the 3500MHz by Free Mobile (16,828), SFR (14,084) and Bouygues
band. Bouygues meanwhile had 4,701 sites in the (12,963). (January 4, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Telecom Minister Ebrima Sillah has confirmed you pay for and what you use and the rest should return
that the Ministry of Information and Communication back to the state and ensure its reused or for other
Infrastructure (MOICI) has issued the country’s fifth purposes.’ Regarding Giraffe’s ownership, the minister
GSM mobile network operating license to a start- noted that ‘between 60% and 70%’ of the new company
Gambia up company named Giraffe Telecom. Minister Sillah is owned by ‘ordinary Gambians who are doing
stated that ‘there is a space for a fifth operator’, business in this country.’ The Gambians currently have
adding that heightened competition would be ‘good a choice of mobile services from four operators, two of
for the Gambian customers. Regarding availability of which – Africell and Gamcel – launched in 2001, before
mobile frequencies, Sillah disclosed: ‘PURA [Public further competition arrived courtesy of Comium Mobile
Utility Regulatory Authority] some months ago did in 2007 and QCell in 2009. In October 2021 the MOICI
a consultancy on usage of spectrum and it’s a fact ordered a one-month suspension of Comium’s network
that almost 75% or more of the entire spectrum of operations because of overdue fees, although a court
the country is in the hands of two operators and subsequently sided with the cellco, which meanwhile
sometimes not being used. So, the spectrum alignment received assistance from UK-headquartered Monty
consultancy was meant to ensure that you keep what Mobile to clear its debts. (January 13, 2022) Daily The Voice newspaper

The Federal Network Agency (FNA, Bundesnetzagentur) communities. We are now taking the next step,’ said the
has published for consultation its ‘points of FNA’s President Jochen Homann. The deadline for the
orientation’ for the future award of mobile spectrum. submission of comments on the points of orientation
The consultation is combined with an initial survey and companies’ forecast spectrum requirements is 21
Germany of the future demand for spectrum for mobile March 2022. (January 25, 2022) commsupdate.com
communications ahead of the expiry of frequency
usage rights in the 800MHz, 1800MHz and 2600MHz The competition authority warned Google parent
bands at the end of 2025. The points of orientation Alphabet it was now able to take action against the
describe the circumstances relevant to the future company’s practices across a range of areas after
provision of the spectrum and also present aspects declaring it fell under an extended remit to control
needing clarification and considerations on the the actions of large digital players. In a statement,
duration of the spectrum usage rights, the competitive the Bundeskartellamt indicated following a probe into
independence of the fourth mobile network operator Alphabet and subsidiary Google, the two were subject
(MNO), competition-related and coverage obligations, to extended abuse controls added to Germany’s
and the promotion of cooperation. The aim of the competition laws in 2021. The regulator added as
initial demand survey is to examine signs of possible a result it had already extended an assessment of
spectrum scarcity, which is an important aspect for the the company’s use of personal data and showcase
future award proceedings. The responses anticipated of news. To fall under the rules businesses must be
from the market participants will form a base upon determined to have “paramount significance across
which to determine the next steps for an objective, markets”, with the authority pointing to Google’s
transparent and non-discriminatory process for the dominant position across search alongside significant
provision of the spectrum. ‘We need to set the pace strength in other areas through Android, YouTube and
for the spread of digital technology. Broadband rollout advertising services. “The company has an economic
needs to pick up speed and dead spots need to be position of power which gives rise to a scope of action
eliminated. At present, the spectrum below 1GHz is across markets that is insufficiently controlled by
particularly key to delivering mobile broadband to rural competition”, indicating it could reap a competitive

97 JANUARY 2022