Page 94 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

CST: Mobile Phone Caller’s Name and ID Will Be Displayed from Oct. 1

The Communications, Space and part of the connected parties to activate original source. More information about
Technology Commission (CST), the Saudi this feature. The general requirements of the characteristics and specifications of
digital regulator, has presented a draft the specification included urging service telecommunications networks can be
technical specification for displaying providers of mobile and land phones obtained through coordination with service
the name and identity of the mobile to implement the required solutions to providers in the Kingdom. Manufacturers
phone caller, effective from Oct. 1, 2023. facilitate the availability of the feature in their of peripheral devices must activate this
The caller's name and number must be networks according to the specifications. feature on all concerned devices, and
displayed in the call log, and the device The manufacturers are also required to commit to support the identification of the
must be able to receive and display the conduct tests, issue an acknowledgment device to receive the name and number of
caller's name and number for all types of to support the caller’s name display feature, the caller through the network and display
technologies, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. and obtain the approval of all mobile it on the screen of the device.
This specification aims to employ modern network operators in the Kingdom in order
technologies to raise the efficiency of to ensure the compatibility of the devices
services provided to the end user. It also with the networks of service providers
aims to ensure compatibility of terminal in the Kingdom. The CST specified that
devices with networks operating in the mobile network operators in the Kingdom
Kingdom, and educate users about the must conduct the required tests and issue
feature concerned with displaying the approval in accordance with the technical
name of the connected party. The scope specification (GEN002), and to prove
of this specification focuses on enabling compliance with any of the additional
the feature of displaying the name of the requirements cited in the relevant
party to which it is connected in terminal technical specifications. This may require
devices operating on mobile networks in providing the authority with specific test
Saudi Arabia. It is an additional feature that results, standardization charts, technical
enables the receiver of the call to know the interpretations, or declarations issued by the
identity of the caller by including the name applicant himself in accordance with these
of the party from which the call is coming. requirements. Mobile and fixed service
The service providers can use this feature providers must also take the necessary
in their networks to determine the name of security measures in networks to ensure
the caller, without the need for action on the that the source of the caller’s name is the

Kazakhtelecom to Sell One of Its Mobile Subsidiaries This Year, Says Minister

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital being purchased. We set a deadline, as
Development Bagdat Musin announced from the government, to withdraw one of
following a Cabinet meeting that the operators from Kazakhtelecom by the
state-backed fixed network provider end of the year.’ In June 2019 Kazakhstan’s
Kazakhtelecom (KT) is expected to sell one mobile sector was effectively reduced to
of its mobile operator subsidiaries – either a duopoly when KT completed a 100%
Kcell or Mobile Telecom Service (Tele2- takeover of its existing associate Tele2-
Altel) – by the end of this year, reports Altel – having already acquired Kcell in
Profit.kz. The Minister also disclosed December 2018 – leaving KaR-Tel (Beeline)
that two unnamed interested parties are as the sole rival to the KT group, albeit
currently conducting due diligence on merger conditions obliged KT to keep the
the potential mobile assets up for sale. formerly Swedish/Turkish-owned Kcell
Musin added: ‘So far, Samruk-Kazyna [the and former Swedish-Kazakh joint venture
state-held Sovereign Wealth Fund with a Tele2-Altel separate, while also retaining
controlling stake in KT] is working on due each operator’s dual (‘Kcell’/‘Activ’ and
diligence – checking by an interested player ‘Tele2’/‘Altel’) brands. In October 2021 KT
for compliance with the price and the asset reduced its Kcell stake from 75% to 51%.

94 JULY-AUGUST 2023