Page 116 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Ministry of Information Technologies and spectrum auction in October and estimates that it will
Communications (Ministerio de Tecnologias de la begin accepting applications from bidders on November
Informacion y las Comunicaciones, MinTIC) has 10. The Government of Colombia had previously said
published a draft resolution of its 5G auction terms. that it plans to make frequencies in the 700 MHz, 1,900
Colombia As per the document, the watchdog will distribute MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands available
spectrum in the following bands: 700MHz (10MHz for bidding. According to previous press reports, nine
block), 1900MHz (10MHz), Extended AWS (30MHz), telecommunications firms in Colombia had initially
2500MHz (30MHz) and 3500MHz (320MHz). Interested expressed their interest in acquiring frequencies for
parties are invited to submit their comments by 15 the provision of 5G services in the country. Claro,
August. Going forward, MinTIC says it will also carry out Tigo, Telefónica, WOM, ETB, OSC Top Solutions Group,
‘an objective selection process’ to regionally assign an Colombia WB Hots, Global Play and EGC Colombia will
additional 80MHz in the 3500MHz band at a local level potentially participate in the 5G spectrum auction. Claro
from 2024, while the 26GHz band will also see similar has expressed interest in acquiring frequencies in all
assignments. As per a previously announced timetable, available bands with a national coverage area, using 3.5
the multi-band spectrum auction is earmarked to GHz and 26 GHz spectrum for 5G. At the end of last year,
commence on 20 December 2023. MinTIC began works to identify the spectrum bands and
(August 3, 2023) www.commsupdate.com the amount of spectrum required for the launch of 5G
in the South American country. Claro has expressed
Colombia is expected to auction 5G frequencies interest in acquiring frequencies in all available bands
in December, according to the country’s Ministry with a national coverage area, using 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz
of Information Technologies and Communications spectrum for 5G. Latin America and the Caribbean had
(MinTIC). The ministry reported that the 5G auction a total of 12 million 5G connections by end-2022 and
is expected to begin on December 20. In August, the region is expected to have 400 million 5G customers
the ministry will publish the planned mechanism for by 2027, according to a previous report by 5G Americas.
the auction process, along with technical conditions The report stated that 4G LTE is expected to remain
and entry requirements for operators. Meanwhile, strong in Latin America and the Caribbean through the
the reserve price of the frequencies as well as the end of 2023. In Q4 2022, there were 537 million 4G LTE
obligations and guarantees required for the process connections, representing 9.3% annual growth with the
will be announced in September. MinTIC also expects addition of 46 million new LTE subscriptions.
to publish the final version of the resolution for the (June 21, 2023) www.rcrwireless.com

Costa Rica has confirmed that it plans to commence the end of 24 months. By contrast, 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz
its multi-band 5G auction on 23rd October 2023. Tele- licensees will be required to focus their efforts on areas
Semana reports that regulator Sutel (Superintendence that currently receive limited or no coverage. According-
of Telecommunications) will hold a consultation on the ly, the obligations are not so steep, with 20% coverage
Costa Rica tender over the next few weeks to finalize the specifi- required after one year, 50% after two years and 100%
cations, and will publish the final details by 25th Sep- after three years of receiving the license. The mmWave
tember. Sutel’s Director General of Quality of Service spectrum available in the 26GHz and 28GHz bands will
and Spectrum Glenn Fallas Fallas confirmed that the not have any coverage obligations. In addition to the
various 5G concessions available would be associated aforementioned bands, further spectrum may be made
with specific coverage obligations. Within the first 12 available in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands ahead of the
months of receiving their permits, 700MHz licensees auction. Following the bidding process, Sutel expects to
will be required to cover 60% of the specified 134 ‘pri- confirm the auction results on 19th December 2023.
ority districts’. The remaining 40% must be covered by (July 20, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com

The Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications The Cote d’Ivoire government is hoping to see the
in Cote d’Ivoire (Autorite de Regulation des commercial launch of 5G services by the start of the
Telecommunications de Cote d’Ivoire, ARTCI) is looking African Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament in
to implement network sharing to speed up the rollout January. Earlier this year MTN Cote d’Ivoire said it had
Cote d’Ivoire of 5G networks by the country’s mobile operators. A already installed a number of 5G test sites in the capital
report from Ecofin says the watchdog is looking for Abidjan and the interior of the country.
a contractor to manage the network sharing process. (August 23, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

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