Page 105 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ofcom Says Openreach’s Independence is Now ‘Well-Established’

British telecoms regulator Ofcom has said that the independence of ensure it provides an appropriate level of service to its customers.
Openreach, the network unit of BT Group, is now ‘well-established’ Separately to the OMU’s report, Ofcom noted that it had been
although warned against complacency, following the publication recently informed by Openreach that for the 2022/23 financial year
of the latest report examining the status of the unit. Annual it did not achieve some of the QoS standards set by the regulator.
reports have been published by Ofcom’s Openreach Monitoring As a result, Ofcom confirmed it has now opened an investigation
Unit (OMU) ever since the establishment of the network unit as a into the unit’s performance and will publish updates in due course.
distinct company within BT Group with its own staff, management,
strategy and purpose, back in 2018. In its latest report, the OMU
said that the arrangements under which Openreach operates are
now ‘well-embedded’ across it and its parent company. However,
the report did note that there had been examples where changes in
staff and the introduction of new systems have led to occasional
issues arising and although these were said to have been ‘swiftly
addressed’, Ofcom noted that it remained important that BT and
Openreach ‘take all necessary steps to ensure complacency does
not set in’. Ofcom also monitors Openreach’s compliance with
the regulator’s Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market rules, which
are designed to support competition and investment in gigabit-
capable networks. Under these rules, Openreach must meet
specified quality of service (QoS) performance standards, to

US Plans to Spend $42B to Boost Internet Coverage

The US government outlined a plan to invest $42 billion into Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North
delivering universal broadband access by 2030, seeking to Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington as the top-ten areas in
address coverage gaps identified by the Federal Communications terms of the sums due. Reuters reported US President Joe Biden
Commission. In a statement, the Department of Commerce’s ranked broadband internet access alongside utilities including
National Telecommunications and Information Administration electricity and water in terms of importance, telling the news
(NTIA) revealed plans to fund deployment of high-speed internet agency the planned investment was the “biggest” in US history.
infrastructure in each state, territory and the District of Columbia CTIA president and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker separately noted
through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) wireless is the fastest-growing home broadband technology in
program, part of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by congress the nation and the industry will partner with states “to maximize
in 2021. Allocations will range from $27 million to more than the use of their BEAD funds and close the digital divide”. Rhona
$3.3 billion, with each state receiving a minimum of $107 million. Johnson, EVP of regulatory relations for AT&T, told Mobile World
A total of 19 states will receive more than $1 billion when funds Live the announcement is “a momentous next step to ensure every
are doled out on 30 June. Government information identified American has access to high-speed internet”.

EU Starts Consultations on 6G

Spectrum Needs, Sub-700 MHz Band

The EU's Radio Spectrum Policy Group has started two public
consultations, following approval of the draft documents at the
advisory group's latest meeting. The first consultation takes a first
look at the expected spectrum requirements for 6G networks. The
second consultation considers the future of the 470-694 MHz
frequency band after 2030 in the EU, and the potential for
harmonization of new uses in the band beyond broadcasting and
PMSE.

105 JULY-AUGUST 2023