Page 77 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

WHOLESALE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Slovakia’s 4ka and Orange Agree 4G Roaming Deal

Slovak operator SWAN, which trades under customers will be able to connect via
the 4ka brand, has signed a 4G roaming Orange’s nationwide 4G network when out
agreement with Orange Slovakia, adding of range of 4ka’s own LTE infrastructure.
to their existing 2G and 3G roaming 4ka’s LTE network currently covers around
arrangements. A report from Zive.sk says 87% of the population and the deal with
that from the beginning of next year 4ka Orange will improve this to more than 96%.

Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire Kick Off Bilateral Free Roaming Deal in West Africa

Ghana’s National Communications Author- (voice, SMS and data) between the two ings and enhanced convenience for sub-
ity (NCA) and the Telecommunications countries. Implemented in collaboration scribers. Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are the
Regulatory Authority of Cote d’Ivoire (Au- with the mobile network operators (MNOs) first countries to activate roaming services
torite de Regulation des Telecommuni- of both countries, the initiative eliminates under the Economic Community of West
cations de Cote d’Ivoire, ARTCI) have offi- surcharges for roaming between the two African States (ECOWAS) Roaming Regu-
cially launched bilateral roaming services nations, resulting in substantial cost sav- lations.

ACM Draft Decision: No Reason for Further Local Access Market Regulation

analysis of the retail market for fixed internet on the Telecommunications Act and/or
access – determining that five different intervention based on the Competition Act.
geographic markets can be distinguished On the basis of this investigation, ACM
– ACM also investigated the national foresaw certain market risks in the access
market for business network services, but conditions to the fiber-optic network of KPN
the regulator has not identified any risk of and Glaspoort on the wholesale market. In
significant market power in any of these July 2021 ACM announced that it would
markets and concludes that these retail prepare a market analysis decision. In
markets are, or will become, sufficiently March 2022 KPN and Glaspoort submitted
competitive, and therefore sees no reason commitments to ACM, which, after
to further investigate the market for local consultation, declared these commitments
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers wholesale access. ACM will take comments binding in August 2022. In September ACM
& Markets (ACM) has issued a draft on its draft decision until 4 September 2023. resumed its investigation for the market
decision on the Wholesale Local Access In mid-2020 ACM started an investigation analysis decision, in which it included the
fixed broadband internet market. Following into the necessity of regulation based commitments as new data.

Eutelsat Exiting Retail European Broadband Market to Focus on Wholesale

Eutelsat Communications has reached an the ‘considerable success’ of its wholesale 2023, with 230 beams over Europe and
agreement to sell its European broadband go-to-market model to distribute its satel- MENA, representing a Ka capacity of
retail activities to ‘an experienced private lite broadband capacity over Europe, under- 500Gbps, adaptable according to demand
operator’. The operations being divested in- pinned by major wholesale deals signed and specific needs in each country. Firm
clude affiliate Bigblu Operations and other with Orange (France), TIM (Italy), Hispasat commitments have already been secured
European retail activities in the UK, Ireland, (Spain) and Swisscom (Switzerland) for the for part of this incremental capacity by im-
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Po- capacity in their respective markets on the portant European telecom operators (e.g.
land, Hungary and Greece. The unnamed Eutelsat KONNECT satellite. The statement Orange, TIM or Swisscom), confirming the
private operator ‘will also become a whole- continued: ‘This strategy will be further bol- ability of KONNECT VHTS to provide a com-
sale distributor in existing markets,’ a press stered by the entry into service of KON- pelling and competitive solution for broad-
release added. Eutelsat’s release highlights NECT VHTS expected in the second half of band to under-served regions of Europe.’

77 JULY-AUGUST 2023