Page 100 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

EC Gives Conditional Approval for Orange's Acquisition of Telekom Romania

Communications

EU antitrust regulators have given ‘the transaction, as initially notified, OTE and will not implement the transaction
conditional approval, under the EU Merger would have raised serious competition until TKR and OTE have reached a binding
Regulation, for Orange Group’s acquisition concerns in the market for retail mobile agreement on the divestment, the EC has
of a 54% controlling stake in fixed operator telecommunication services’. In particular, approved the agreement, and the stake
Telekom Romania Communications (TKR) Orange’s minority stake in TRMC would has been transferred to OTE. In November
from Greek telco OTE, part of the Deutsche have given it access to commercially 2020 Orange Romania signed a deal to
Telekom group. The deal is conditional sensitive information about its competitor, buy the 54% stake for a price of EUR268
on the divestiture of TKR’s 30% minority and allowed it to block important million (USD317 million), subject to ex-
shareholding in Telekom Romania Mobile investments by TRMC or the operator’s post adjustments, giving the Romanian
Communications (TRMC), which is a direct acquisition by a strategic buyer. To address company an enterprise value of EUR497
competitor of Orange’s local subsidiary. these concerns, Orange has offered to million.
Following its investigation, the EC found secure the sale of TKR’s holding in TRMC to

FCC Expects 5G Boost After Handing-Out C-Band Licenses

The US Federal Communications for 5G deployment”, due to its ability to in hand, more carriers can deploy mid-
Commission (FCC) granted the 5,676 “reach more people in more places faster.” band 5G, which means faster speeds
licenses covering use of spectrum in the Spectrum in the band is seen as offering a over much wider coverage areas and
C-Band (3.7GHz to 3.98GHz) won in a middle-ground between providing good 5G more robust competition,” Rosenworcel
bumper auction earlier this year, hailing the capacity and coverage, with alternatives added. The sale closed in February, raising
development as helping expand 5G access. very strong in one or the other. Last month $81.2 billion and was the country’s latest
In a statement, acting FCC Chair Jessica the GSMA called on regulators across the targeted at supporting 5G across various
Rosenworcel noted the new licenses globe to step-up availability of mid-band bands. Its next auction is slated for October
opened an allocation key to deploying 5G. spectrum, which includes frequencies just and will provide further allocations in the
She explained C-Band was a “sweet spot licensed by the FCC. “With these licenses mid-band.

UK Commits £30M to Win 5G Open RAN Race

(FRANC) scheme is expected to boost the security and resilience
credentials of new 5G technology while bringing societal and
economic benefits. To do so, proposals are advised to focus on
finding ways to increase power efficiency and tackle issues related
to the management of spectrum resources, advanced software
platforms and systems integration. Proposals will be accepted
until 27 August and winners unveiled in the following months.
The DCMS explained the move aims to tackle “the world’s over-
reliance on a small number of telecoms vendors”. Minister for
Digital Infrastructure Matt Warman described the competition as
a way to “get some of our most creative minds” helping the nation
deliver the benefits of 5G “safely and securely”. The scheme is
part of a strategy the UK unveiled at end-2020 targeting 5G supply
The UK government furthered efforts to diversify network chain diversification, which was later slammed by the House of
equipment options after banning the use of Huawei 5G kit, Commons Science and Technology Committee for doing little to
launching a £30 million competition to fund R&D projects which ease reliance on Nokia and Ericsson. It called for exploration of
accelerate open RAN adoption and position the country as a leading more options for market diversification including open RAN and
player in the next-generation era. Funded by the UK Department other technologies. Last week, the UK poured £1 million into an
of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Future RAN Competition open RAN test facility.

100 JUN-AUG 2021