Page 146 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Morocco

The National Agency of Telecommunications Regulation (Agence Telecom’s actions had prevented and delayed its competitors
Nationale de Reglementation de Telecom, ANRT) has fined Maroc from accessing LLU and the fixed broadband market since 2013,
Telecom Group (IAM) MAD2.45 billion (USD238 million) by for following an in-depth examination of the various elements of
failing to comply with the agency’s fair competition rules. ANRT the investigation report, which commenced in May 2017. The
said the fine is the culmination of an accumulative penalty that it committee judged that the behavior constituted an abuse of
imposed on IAM back in January 2020; ANRT set a fine of MAD4.1 dominant position, which is prohibited by the provisions of Article
million for every day that IAM failed to comply with the agency’s 7 of Law No.104-12 and is liable to a financial penalty of MAD3.3
fair competition instructions. Maroc Telecom Group has 30 days billion, entirely paid to the Treasury.
to appeal the USD238 million cumulative fine in court. In January (July 29, 2022) commsupdate.com
2020 the ANRT Management Committee concluded that Maroc

Nepal

Nepal Telecom's 5G trial program seems to be on an obstacle Determination Committee would review Ncell’s 5G plan. There
course, hitting one hurdle after another. The state-owned telecom has been no response so far, sources privy to the matter said. “We
giant says the 5G testing will be delayed by another few months have been requesting the regulator to issue trial 5G spectrum to
after having held up trials of the new mobile network technology Ncell since early last year so that we could test the technology
for a year. “The testing plan has been delayed as the equipment for a stipulated period before the commercial launch as per the
needed to conduct the 5G trials arrived late,” said Shobhan regulatory framework,” Ncell told the Post in an email. According
Adhikari, spokesperson for Nepal Telecom. “It took us time to to the latest management and information system report of
issue the purchase order.” Nepal Telecom will conduct the trials in the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, there are 38 million
one location each in the seven provinces. Initially, the government broadband subscribers in Nepal. The country has 10 million 3G
company had planned to begin the trials in mid-July 2021, aiming subscribers and 17.99 million 4G subscribers. Total broadband
to become the first in South Asia to roll out the 5G network, but penetration has reached 130.20 percent, out of which 98.55 are
changes in government slowed it down. The telecom regulator mobile broadband users and 31.28 percent fixed broadband users.
has allocated 2600 MHz frequency band to Nepal Telecom As of mid-May, Nepal Telecom had 8.89 million 3G users and 10
for the testing. In September 2021, Ncell wrote to the Nepal million 4G users while Ncell had 2 million 3G users and 6.61 million
Telecommunications Authority seeking approval for 5G network 4G users. (July 24, 2022) kathmandupost.com
trials. The regulator replied that the Radio Frequency Policy

Oman

Eng. Salim al Aufi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the speed data for broadband services. The actual speed of the fixed
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued a wired broadband service provided to the beneficiary shall not be
regulation to monitor the quality of telecommunication services less than 90% of the maximum data speed limit announced by
in the country. According to the regulation, the licensee must the licensee according to the beneficiary's subscribed package.
announce the data speed for each fixed broadband service The actual speed of a fixed wireless broadband service shall not
package (wired and wireless) and must publish details of the be less than 70% of the highest data speed announced by the
quality of communications services, packages, and offers. As per licensee according to the subscribed package. The licensee must
the decision, the licensee shall submit reports on the established publish sufficient details about the quality of telecommunications
performance indicators of the quality of telecommunications services and packages and the offers on its website, to ensure that
services within a period not exceeding 30 days from the end of the the beneficiary is aware of the quality of the telecommunications
monitoring period and must publish those reports in the form and services it provides. The licensee must design wireless
within the period specified by TRA. The licensee must declare the communications networks to provide communications signal
data speed for each of the bandwidth packages - fixed broadband strength) that will ensure the ensures the best telecommunication
(wired and wireless), and it is also committed to providing high- services to the beneficiaries, The licensee must design wireless
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