Page 122 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

existing USO VFL end-users, while it has recommended be subject to a specific qualification, that being that ‘in
that Pure Telecom be designated as the USP for new the event that Pure Telecom is no longer party to a con-
USO VFL services end-users. Meanwhile, ComReg has tract enabling it to provide VFL services, its designation
proposed that the maximum period of the proposed as USP will immediately cease and it will no longer be
USP designations should be until 30 June 2027, though subject to the universal service obligations’.
in Pure Telecom’s case it noted that the provider would (June 22, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The government has confirmed a preliminary agree- of the offer, from the point of view of the relations be-
ment with US investment company KKR under which it tween the parties, foresee a decisive role of the govern-
will take a stake of up to 20% in Telecom Italia’s (TIM’s) ment in defining the strategic choices.’ KKR has until 30
fixed networks business NetCo as part of KKR’s planned September to submit a binding offer, which it is thought
Italy binding offer. The Italian state-backed infrastructure in- will be valued at around EUR23 billion (USD25.3 billion).
vestment fund F2i could also become part of the deal, One potential hurdle could be the opposition of TIM’s
giving the government a combined interest in NetCo of largest shareholder, Vivendi, which has previously said
up to 30%, with KKR holding the remainder. In a state- that the NetCo assets are worth closer to EUR30 billion.
ment, Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministe- (August 11, 2023) www.reuters.com
ro dell’Economia e delle Finanze, MEF) said: ‘The terms

An auction for 100% of shares in state-owned Kyrgyz price is required to enter, while the winning bidder
mobile operator MEGA has been scheduled for October must transfer a 7% fee to the Fund for State Property
this year by the Fund for State Property Management, Management. 2G/3G/4G network operator MEGA
reports Akipress. The starting price for the share auction (formerly branded MegaCom, and registered as Alfa
Kyrgyzstan is set at KGS14.60 billion (USD167 million), with bidding Telecom) currently competes closely for first place in
increments of KGS200 million. Auction applications
Kyrgyzstan’s mobile market with rival Nur Telecom (O!)
are being accepted from today, with a closing date of in terms of subscriptions, while according to the latest
2 October 2023, and the electronic auction itself will announcement the cellco’s assets include 5,500 base
begin later that day. A ‘guarantee’ of 10% of the starting stations. (July 4, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The government working in partnership with the telecoms as saying the digital transformation project will center
industry regulator, the Liberia Telecommunications on improving citizens’ technical skills in key technology
Authority (LTA), is readying the launch of a national areas, while simultaneously looking to provide seed
digital transformation project aimed at increasing funds to ‘support sustainable technology solutions that
Liberia investments in digital infrastructure to make it easier address local challenges’. This initiative forms a key
part of the Liberian government’s vision to make digital
for the population to access and use services such
e-commerce solutions and smart technologies. LTA technology one of the pillars of the country’s socio-
President Edwina Crump Zackpah is cited by local press economic development. (July 17, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) has 100Mbps within the next three years. Furthermore,
revealed that it is conducting a survey to assess the the information will be used by state and municipal
geographic scope of fixed broadband networks in the institutions when making decisions on allocating funds
country. Data collection has already begun, following for the deployment of telecoms networks, and in the
Lithuania the approval of the research methodology after a public preparation of national plans for the development of
broadband infrastructure. The data will also be used by
market consultation. The study is scheduled to be
completed in December; the aggregated assessment the RRT when it is necessary to carry out other studies
of network coverage will be available to the public, or analyses, determining the coverage requirements
businesses and decision makers, and network coverage associated with the allocation of radio frequencies
maps will be accessible on the RRT website. The regulator and the conditions of their use, and the obligations
added that the study will determine areas currently of universal electronic communication services. ‘RRT
unserved by high speed fixed broadband services, in constantly conducts market research and network
order to supply these locations with speeds of up to coverage assessments, and measures connection

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