Page 123 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

speed. However, this broadband coverage assessment information collected in advance, and find out what
study is the first of its kind,’ said Marijus Balnys, chief can be expected from this study. Through our research,
advisor of the RRT’s electronic communications we aim to determine the extent of existing electronic
regulatory group, adding: ‘We chose a methodology that communications networks that can support broadband
would allow us to implement the research objectives. services, including high-bandwidth networks.’
Interested persons can familiarize themselves with the (August 16, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
objectives of the study, the principles, the nature of the

Malaysian communications minister Fahmi Fadzil U Mobile and YTL Communications are all now in the
has announced that the Malaysian Communications process of finalizing their respective shareholdings in
and Multimedia Commission’s ‘5G Task Force’ has DNB. However, the release stopped short of confirming
successfully reached an agreement regarding equity exactly what stakes each operator will take. Following
Malaysia participation in wholesale 5G operator Digital Nasional confirmation that the Malaysian government is to
permit the rollout of a second 5G network in the country
Berhad (DNB) with five of the country’s major telecoms
operators. In a press release issued by the Minister from 2024, a number of companies had withdrawn from
and published on several social media channels, it previously agreed deals to acquire a stake in DNB.
was noted that CelcomDigi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, (July 21, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

ALTAN Redes (Red Compartida), the Mexican mobile relinquished by Movistar in 2020. (July 7, 2023) El Economista
operator that offers open access connectivity using
the 700MHz band, is considering acquiring 2.5GHz The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto
spectrum to respond to growing network capacity Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has pre-emptively
Mexico demands. The possibility was floated by Carlos Lerma extended the validity of the license held by Grupo
Televisa-backed Cablevision (Izzi) from 2029 until 2059.
Cotera, a former Ministry of Finance official who was
placed in charge of the cellco after its government The terms of the license renewal allow the cableco
bailout in 2022. Mr. Lerma Cotera told: ‘Eventually, there to extend its coverage to new locations beyond those
will be the need for us to have another capacity band, included in the original concession. Izzi’s current license,
which would be 2.3GHz or 2.5GHz or 2.7GHz or 3.5GHz.’ the report notes, was granted on 23 May 1999. Mexican
The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto media conglomerate Grupo Televisa owns majority
Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) is hoping to stage stakes in five cable companies, which together form
a multi-band spectrum auction this year. The main 5G its ‘Televisa Cable’ division. The cablecos in question
spectrum bands scheduled for inclusion are a 70MHz are Cablevision, Cablemas, Television Internacional
block in the 614MHz-698MHz (600MHz) band, a 50MHz (TVI), Grupo Cable TV (Cablecom) and Cablevision Red
block at 3300MHz-3350MHz, and 90MHz in the L-band (Telecable). In total, Televisa’s networks pass more
(1427MHz-1518MHz). The IFT is also weighing up the than 19 million homes in 110 municipalities across the
potential inclusion of unused spectrum in a number of country. End-user services are branded Izzi, Wizz or
other bands, including 800MHz, 850MHz, 1900MHz, Wizzplus, depending on location.
AWS, and 2.5GHz frequencies — some of which were (June 23, 2023) Daily Expansion

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia Relations, said that it was necessary that the regulator
(CRAN) has confirmed that it will end its year-long “continuously studies market dynamics to align the
moratorium on issuing new telecom and broadcast regulatory framework to best practices and emerging
licenses on 1st October 2023. The regulator chose to trends in regulation to ensure fair competition and
Namibia suspend issuing new licenses in October last year to facilitate investments into the sector.” While CRAN
facilitate a sector-wide study examining the state of has not accepted applications for new licenses since
competition, the level of market saturation and barriers last year, it has upheld requests to transfer, update, or
to entry for newcomers to the market. Katrina Sikeni, revoke licenses already in use.
CRAN’s Executive of Communication and Consumer (July 21, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com

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