Page 103 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Vyve Agrees ‘Tuck-In Acquisition’ of Community Cable & Broadband

Broadband (CCB), which is headquartered Vyve Broadband name in the Spring of
in Skiatook, Oklahoma. Billed as a ‘tuck- 2020. Subsequently, US cableco Cable ONE
in acquisition’, the deal will help to (Sparklight) agreed to acquire a 45% stake
enhance and expand Vyve’s presence in Mega Broadband Investments from
in Oklahoma. Post-closing, Vyve has affiliates of private equity firm GTCR, for
committed to upgrading CCB’s network approximately USD574.1 million. The latter
to support gigabit transmission speeds. transaction was completed during the
Mega Broadband Investments united its fourth quarter of 2020. Vyve is understood
portfolio of rural broadband companies to serve over 240,000 residential customers
Vyve Broadband has sealed a takeover – Vyve Broadband, Eagle Broadband and and around 18,000 B2B customers across
agreement for Community Cable & Northland Communications – under the its 16-state footprint.

MyRepublic Scores USD133m Loan to Develop Indonesian Internet Coverage

Fiber broadband provider MyRepublic (In- drive the expansion of its networks and ser- Sulaiman said the fresh loan will allow the
donesia), an affiliate of Sinar Mas Group, vices. It notes that the loan also includes company to further expand its coverage
has secured a syndicated loan worth IDR2 a provision enabling it to access additional across the country and enhance the quality
trillion (USD133 million) from four lenders funds if needed. MyRepublic (Indonesia) of its services. ‘This [expansion] aligns with
– Bank Central Asia, Bank Mandiri, Bank recently added nine cities to its service cov- the government’s vision of achieving equal
Syariah Indonesia (BSI) and financing firm erage, bringing the number of cities using distribution of internet access and digitali-
Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) – to help its service to 30, and its CEO Timotius Max zation throughout Indonesia,’ he said.

MTN and Airtel Bag 5G Spectrum in Uganda; Three Firms Miss Out

The Uganda Communication Commission launch can be expected as soon as licences unawarded in the 700MHz and 3.5GHz
(UCC) has awarded 5G-capable spectrum become valid. The regulator had been bands.
to the country’s two main mobile network expected to name the winning bidders next
operators (MNOs), MTN and Airtel. MTN month but has fast-tracked the process.
won frequencies in the 700MHz, 2.3GHz, Three other firms applied for frequencies
2.6GHz and E-band (71GHz-76GHz/81GHz- but were unsuccessful, namely Uganda
86GHz) ranges, while Airtel was successful Telecom Limited (UTL), Lyca Mobile and
in the 800MHz, 3.5GHz and E-band ranges. Ala Technology (trading as Intracom). The
The licences come with a number of process, based on operators’ five-year
coverage and data rate targets. Both MTN investment plans, allocated 68% of the
and Airtel have already stated that their spectrum that was initially made available
networks are 5G-ready, and a commercial (excluding the E-band), with blocks left

State Development Bank Intends to Buy MEGA Via Auction

Kyrgyzstan’s State Development Bank by Akipress. The post reiterated previously will remain in ownership of the state and
plans to acquire mobile operator MEGA via aired proposals to retain state ownership of will keep making contribution into econom-
participation in the upcoming 100% share MEGA (registered as Alfa Telecom) whilst ic development of the country.’ The starting
auction scheduled for this October, the transferring its shares from the current bid price for the auction set for 2 October
bank’s press secretary Erbol Sultanbaev holder, the Ministry of Digital Development. 2023 is KGS14.6 billion (USD167 million).
stated on his Facebook page, as reported Sultanbaev stated: ‘This way the company

103 JULY-AUGUST 2023