Page 128 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

In what could prove to be a highly significant occupying the bands above 694MHz must move to
development for mobile operators, a number of South lower frequencies at the end of July. All remaining
Africa’s broadcasters have agreed to the newest analogue broadcasting services should temporarily
deadline to vacate the so-called ‘digital dividend’ be accommodated in lower frequencies, which seems
South Africa bands. Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele to be acceptable to big broadcasters SABC and e.tv.
has said that the date to complete the migration from
Digital broadcasting services operating above 694MHz
analogue to digital terrestrial television is now 31 must go to frequencies below 694MHz to free up the
December 2024. Two previous deadlines were not met 694-862Mhz frequency bands. All analogue signals are
by his predecessor, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. As the to be switched off no later than 31 December 2024, by
TechCentral website points out, this time the minister which time, it is hoped, the millions of households now
has the backing of a number of broadcasters. Gungubele relying on analogue broadcasts will have converted to
published a notice in the Government Gazette this week digital services. As we mentioned in February 2021,
saying all analogue broadcasters using bands above like a number of countries in Africa, South Africa
694MHz must vacate those frequencies by no later than missed the original deadline set by the International
31 July. This is important for mobile operators which, Telecommunication Union for completion of the
in theory, were given access to those frequency bands switchover process, which was meant to happen in
during last year’s spectrum auctions but still can’t June 2015.
make full use of the spectrum. Those broadcasters (June 18, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) has unveiled minimum for the national concession, with regional
plans to allocate spectrum in the 700MHz (738MHz- pricing ranging from KRW1.8 billion to KRW33.7 billion,
748MHz/793MHz-803MHz) and 28GHz (26.5GHz- dependent on the region. Further, the regulator has
27.3GHz) bands, noting that the frequencies will be confirmed that a national concession will include an
South Korea available to new operators as part of efforts to enhance obligation related to base station construction; a total
competition in the country’s mobile sector, with the
of 6,000 28GHz base stations must be built within three
nation’s incumbent cellcos barred from bidding. years of spectrum allocation for a national licensee,
According to the MSIT, it will offer the spectrum via an while separate per-region construction requirements
auction process and is hopeful of selling the frequencies have also been set should the spectrum be allocated
as a nationwide allocation. However, the regulator notes regionally. Keen to offer would-be bidders plenty of
that it will also open applications for the frequencies on time to consider participating in the sale process, the
a regional basis (across a total of seven regions) and MSIT has revealed that it will open applications for the
proceed to allocate spectrum in that fashion should a spectrum from 20 November 2023, with the application
nationwide operator not be found. In terms of pricing, period to last until 19 December 2023.
the MSIT has set a KRW74.2 billion (USD58 million) (July 21, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Federal Council has approved a new ‘Federal connectivity to 100% of buildings within five years,
Broadband Strategy’ that aims to provide 1Gbps although only a portion of that total – around CHF1.4
broadband coverage ‘as comprehensively as possible’ billion, or CHF280 million per year – would need to be
by 2033. Under the new strategy the government will provided via government subsidy. The government’s
Switzerland provide funding to support the deployment of fiber report on the subject also notes that other measures
can be implemented to support fixed broadband
infrastructure in areas where expansion by private
operators would be unprofitable. The government’s expansion, including enshrining rights of joint use of
estimates that it would cost around CHF4 billion suitable infrastructure and cross-industry coordination
(USD4.5billion) to achieve the target of providing 1Gbps in construction projects. (June 29, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The board of Thai state-owned fixed and mobile January 2021. In Thailand’s February 2020 multi-band
operator National Telecom (NT) has approved the 5G spectrum auction, TOT bid THB1.8 billion for four
first phase of investment in a 26GHz 5G network 100MHz blocks of 26GHz frequencies while CAT paid
rollout project, with an initial outlay of THB800 million THB34.3 billion for two 2×5MHz blocks in the 700MHz
Thailand (USD22.6 million). NT was formed by the merger of range, and in February 2023 the government approved
state-owned sister telcos TOT and CAT Telecom in NT’s 5G business project and operational expenditure

128 JULY-AUGUST 2023