Page 120 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (FNA, results of the report will be submitted to the watchdog
Bundesnetzagentur) has initiated a study on the in autumn of this year. (July 6, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
competitive situation in mobile market, ahead of
allocating spectrum in the 800MHz, 1800MHz and The Advisory Board of the German Federal Network
Germany 2600MHz bands. The regulator has commissioned Agency, Bundesnetzagentur, has unanimously voted in
consulting firms WIK-Consult and Ernst & Young to
favour of a resolution on spectrum awards, supporting
examine whether measures are required to maintain incentives for mobile network expansion. Incentives
or achieve effective competition in the German mobile should be created through reverse auctions, or auctions
sector. ‘Promoting competition is an important goal split into phases offering discounts or bonuses to
of spectrum regulation. That’s why we carry out an reward companies that overfulfill their requirements.
objective and forward-looking assessment of the The advisory board urges a closer look at the topic of
competitive situation before the spectrum is made infrastructure sharing. (June 23, 2023) www.telecompaper.com
available,’ said Klaus Muller, President of the FNA. The

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (FNA, results of the report will be submitted to the watchdog
Bundesnetzagentur) has initiated a study on the in autumn of this year. (July 6, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
competitive situation in mobile market, ahead of
allocating spectrum in the 800MHz, 1800MHz and The Advisory Board of the German Federal Network
Ghana 2600MHz bands. The regulator has commissioned Agency, Bundesnetzagentur, has unanimously voted in
consulting firms WIK-Consult and Ernst & Young to
favour of a resolution on spectrum awards, supporting
examine whether measures are required to maintain incentives for mobile network expansion. Incentives
or achieve effective competition in the German mobile should be created through reverse auctions, or auctions
sector. ‘Promoting competition is an important goal split into phases offering discounts or bonuses to
of spectrum regulation. That’s why we carry out an reward companies that overfulfill their requirements.
objective and forward-looking assessment of the The advisory board urges a closer look at the topic of
competitive situation before the spectrum is made infrastructure sharing.
available,’ said Klaus Muller, President of the FNA. The (June 23, 2023) www.telecompaper.com

The Superintendence of Telecommunications Additional parties are invited to submit expressions of
(Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, SIT) interest (EoI) by 21 July, with an auction earmarked for
is reportedly evaluating requests for a number of September or October. Mr. Ruiz expects the process to
spectrum licences in the 700MHz band. Claro has generate between USD110 million and USD120 million.
Guatemala requested six blocks in the 718MHz-803MHz range, A 700MHz auction has been on the cards since at least
2016, only to be delayed due to regulatory reshuffles
while Tigo has expressed an interest in the following
blocks: 733MHz-748MHz, 773MHz-788MHz, 788MHz- and changes in government. If it comes to fruition, the
803MHz and 718MHz-733MHz. An additional company, 700MHz auction will represent Guatemala’s second
manufacturing firm Fabrigas, has requested six blocks spectrum sale of 2023. On 2 June an auction of 2.5GHz-
in the 700MHz band. A separate report from Prensa 2.6GHz frequencies generated a total of USD48.947
Libre quotes SIT boss Marco Antonio Baten Ruiz as million, of which Tigo paid a total of USD32.236 million
saying that an auction is likely to be scheduled, given and Claro bid USD16.711 million.
the demand in the 4G/5G-suitable 700MHz band. (June 22, 2023) BNAmericas

The Communications Authority (CA) has opened a the largest amount of spectrum available for mobile
consultation on the potential award of 400MHz of services, the 6GHz band would enable the deployment
spectrum in the 6GHz band (6570MHz-6770MHz and of fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks and services
6925MHz-7125MHz) for the provision of public mobile with speeds and capacity vital to the future sustainable
Hong Kong services, with a particular focus on 5G. The Authority development of digital economy and mobile broadband
connectivity in Hong Kong,’ a spokesman for the CA
is also proposing changes to the territory’s Table of
Frequency Allocations to include the 6GHz band for said. As there are likely to be competing demands for
mobile services. Parts of the band are currently used the spectrum, the CA proposes to assign it by way of
for fixed service and fixed satellite service (earth-to- auction, with spectrum utilization fees (SUFs) to be
space). ‘Being the mid-band frequency blocks with agreed nearer the time. (July 19, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

120 JULY-AUGUST 2023