Page 157 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The government has invested USD200 million to The National Communications Authority (NCA) has
enable the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic denied media reports claiming it blocked Vodafone’s
Communications (GIFEC) to accomplish its rural proposed sale of its Ghana unit to rival Telecel Group,
telephony and digital inclusion projects across however it has not approved the transaction either. The
Ghana the country. The project, which forms part of the European operator confirmed earlier this week intended
government’s ‘Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital
to sell off its 70% share in its unit which was originally
Inclusion Project’, seeks to facilitate the provision acquired from the state in 2006 for US$900 million. The
of universal access through the use of affordable regulator said in a press release it @wishes to state
information and communications technology for socio- and clarify that the statement is false and should be
economic development. Speaking at an event in the disregarded as such. The NCA revealed that it received
Eastern Region, Prince Ofosu Sefah, Administrator of an application for the transfer of 70% majority shares
GIFEC, reiterated the government’s commitment to in Vodafone Ghana to Telecel in January this year, but
ensuring 95% mobile network coverage by December it did not meet the standards required for approval.
2023, through the deployment of 2,016 rural sites. “After critical regulatory review and evaluation, the NCA
‘GIFEC is still counting on the government to continue concluded that the request did not meet the regulatory
this unprecedented investment in communities because threshold for approval to be granted,” the NCA said in
people really need access to network and now getting the statement but did not reveal what criteria Vodafone
network access is almost like the basic necessities of needed to hit. Vodafone declined to comment when
life,’ he added. Developing Telecoms reached out for comment.
(August 30, 2022) Ghanaian Times (August 3, 2022) developingtelecoms.com

Following the completion of an investigation by the the Authority’. As a result of such behavior, the GCRA
Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority (GCRA) noted it had imposed an increase of 65% to the basic
in December 2021 in which it determined Sure Guernsey penalty to be levied ‘in respect of this conduct’. On the
and JT Guernsey had agreed to control the provision of flipside, in terms of mitigating factors the GCRA said it
Guernsey mobile network in the Bailiwick – including the future had considered that steps taken by ‘constitute efforts
to prevent a recurrence of the infringing conduct’ and
introduction of 5G – the watchdog has now confirmed
fines for both operators. Issuing an update on the matter as such it said it had applied a reduction of 10% to that
via press release, the GCRA announced that Sure has operator’s fine. Sure too benefited from a 5% reduction
been fined GBP2.96 million (USD3.5 million) for its part in its fine thanks to changes it had subsequently made,
in the matter, while it has imposed a financial penalty though the regulator noted the reduction was less
of GBP439,608 on JT. Outlining the methodology for than its rivals as it considered Sure’s measures ‘less
calculating the fines, as well as offering up its reasoning comprehensive and wide-ranging’, while adding that
behind its decision, the GCRA notably stated that it they had not been adopted as quickly.
found Sure ‘took active and intentional steps to prevent (July 22, 2022) commsupdate.com
certain key evidence from coming to the attention of

The government is still determined to resurrect the of 183 GSM, LTE and transmission sites throughout
incumbent operator Societe des Telecommunications the country, including 151 4G sites, and is planning
de Guinee (Sotelgui), now known as Guinee Telecoms. to acquire a global license permitting the operation
Following a visit to the company’s headquarters on 30 of 3G and 4G services and fiber-optic infrastructure
Guinea June, Bamba Oliano, Secretary General of the Ministry delivering TV, broadband and fixed telephony networks.
Guinea has been without a fixed telephone network
of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy,
reiterated that the state is still seeking financial partners since Sotelgui was declared bankrupt in February 2013,
to relaunch the company. ‘Among our objectives is the leaving the country reliant on mobile networks owned
launch of Guinee Telecoms and the digitalization of by international companies. With a view to creating
the State as a whole … It will be the national operator a new legal entity which would take over its assets
that will support government communication, its and activities, former President Alpha Conde issued
launch will allow competition in the telephony sector a decree in September 2017 formally dissolving the
to improve the quality of service. This will reduce the company and assuming responsibility for its debts.
cost of communication and access to the internet,’ he However, despite a series of announcements in recent
said. For his part, Samoura Lamine, chief coordinator years, little progress has been made in reviving the
of Guinee Telecoms, claimed the operator has a total operator. (July 4, 2022) Mosaique Guinee

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