Page 102 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ecuador Approves Reform of Telecommunications Law

The President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso SIM cards and assets not assigned to certainty and regulatory predictability’. ‘We
has signed Decree 126 reforming the the concession, which should translate consider this to be an important step in
country’s Organic Telecommunications into a reduction in their total regulatory moving from a model predominantly based
Law, in force since February 2015. The obligations. After the latest reform, a on tax collection to a new development
18 articles of the reform package aim to telco’s annual investment plan may also model focused on connectivity and closing
prioritize connectivity and efforts to reduce count towards their universal service the digital divide,’ he said, adding: ‘It shows
the digital divide, particularly in rural areas, obligation (currently 1% of annual revenue), a serious commitment on the part of the
rather than maximize tax revenues. In while spectrum tenders are expected to authorities to connect unserved areas.
addition to capping the total regulatory focus on maximizing coverage rather than It is a step in the right direction, not only
obligations paid by operators at 2.5% of government revenues. In an interview with because of the reform itself, but because
total revenues, the decree notably applies Digital Policy Law, Jorge Cevallos, president of the clear message of where public policy
a narrower definition of their ‘total income of the telecom operators association is heading in the new government.’
invoiced and received’, discounting items Asetel, welcomed the reforms, which he
such as income from the sale of handsets, believes will ‘contribute to providing legal

Czech Senate Knocks Back Amendment to Telecoms Law

The Senate of the Parliament of the will now be returned to the Chamber of under the revised Act are the removal
Czech Republic has blocked a proposed Deputies with proposed revisions from the of automatic consent for unsolicited
amendment to the country’s Electronic Senate. The amendment had previously telephone marketing calls, moves to
Communications Act which aims to been approved by the Chamber of Deputies make it easier for consumers to switch
improve consumer privacy protection, by an overwhelming majority of 164 votes broadband provider, and changes to make
amongst other things. The amendment out of 168. Among the changes proposed it easier for telcos to deploy networks.

US President Orders Return of Net Neutrality

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order
designed to promote competition in the American
economy by directing changes at telecom and
technology regulators, among a number of other
federal agencies. The order urges the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to restore
net neutrality rules it voted to ditch in December
2017 which had prevented operators prioritizing
traffic carried over their networks. President Biden
also asked the FCC to require ISPs to report their
subscription rates and prices to the agency, and
share standardized information with consumers
about speeds, prices and network management.
He also called for “greater scrutiny of mergers,
especially by dominant internet platforms”. In
a fact sheet, the administration characterized
some recent deals in the US technology sector can use information collected from Biden also called on the FTC to tackle
as “killer acquisitions”, meant to “shut down a smaller retailers to launch competitive the right to repair mobile phones,
potential competitive threat”. The Federal Trade products. The executive order seeking “rules against anticompetitive
Commission (FTC) is tasked with regulating data instructed the FTC to “establish rules restrictions on using independent
accumulation and surveillance, with the fact sheet barring unfair methods of competition repair shops or doing DIY repairs of
highlighting the ways large online retail platforms on internet marketplaces”. President your own devices and equipment”.

102 JUN-AUG 2021