Page 114 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN THE SAMENA REGION

Afghanistan

The Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) has accomplishment while speaking in the ceremony.
granted frequency in 1800 MHz band to the state-owned telco (July 18, 2021) developingtelecoms.com
Afghan Telecom (Aftel), which offers wireless services under the
Salaam brand, for providing broadband advanced/ 4G services. In ATRA senior officials gave information to the Technical Delegates
the country’s first spectrum auction last month, ATRA put up for and Budget and Finance Commission of Lower House members
sale frequencies in the 1800MHz (three lots of 2×5MHz), 2100MHz each one Mr. Azim Mohsini, Jawed Sapai, Shukuria Esakhel
(two lots of 2×5MHz), and 2600MHz (three lots of 2×10MHz) and technical advisors to the commission had come to ATRA in
bands, intending to supply the airwaves needed for operators to regard to transparency, progresses and completion of monitoring
provide more advanced mobile broadband services. The majority systems affairs for RTDMS (10% Telecom Services Fee). Mr.
of the licenses went unsold, however, with Aftel emerging as the Omar Mansoor Asnari, ATRA Acting-Chairman, mentioned in
only winning bidder and paying the base price of USD17.2 million this explained to the members of the commission that ATRA
for its 15-year concession. Omar Mansoor Ansari, ATRA Acting- has carried out serious activities for hiring cadres for capacity
Chairman, expressed that telecom network is changing and new building bedsides expediting completion process since transfer
technology generations having better speed than previous ones of RTDMS or monitoring system 10% TSF to the authority based
are being introduced, thus, wireless and wired networks operating on President’s order, further, prepaid part of the system has been
in the country need to be configured for providing advanced completed and there is 700 million Afghani rise to the government
services in the future. “Frequency sources were previously income. Mr. Ansari stated, “ATRA has brought modifications within
allocated on an equal basis but they are now allocated to the the 10% TSF Act for more transparency and once this is approved
telecom companies through auction and competition to provide by the parliament, RTDMS would be connected with main sources
the necessary opportunity for 4G Services; ATRA licenses are not and there would be more transparency”. Presentation was
technology-based afterward since mobile service license is apart presented to the representatives on RTDMS after this meeting
from technology license. ATRA is working on how the ground is and the specifications and characteristics of 10% TSF monitoring
paved for efficient use and cost of spectrum sources are provided system upon telecom networks explained to them nearby. The
for telecom companies in segregation”, added Omar. Abdul representatives appreciated ATRA recent efforts regarding the
Kareem Totakhel, Deputy for State Affairs, termed the 4G auction system transparency and assured any support for strengthening
a big achievement for the country in the current condition and the system.
congratulated ATRA and telecom companies for this success and (June 16, 2021) atra.gov.af

Bahrain

In light of supporting the digital transformation strategy in and private services in accordance with the rapid technological
the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Telecommunications Regulatory trends." Alnoaimi stressed on TRA’s commitment to assessing
Authority issues the first license to execute e-signature and all systems and processes on a periodic basis to ensure their
trust services, to BENEFIT Company at the beginning of August. contribution to fulfilling the needs of residents while preserving
On this occasion, TRA’s Director of Cyber Security & Technical all parties' rights. TRA also supports initiatives that promote the
Affairs Eng. Mohamed Alnoaimi said “Through licensing trust adoption of latest developments and technologies that improve
and e-signature services, TRA seeks to keep pace with the latest high quality of service. BENEFIT’s Assistant General Manager
technologies and developments to carry out its tasks and perform for Information Technology, Mr. Riyadh Al-Maraj said, "We are
its duties to achieve the strategy of the digital transformation. The pleased that BENEFIT Company is the first entity in the Kingdom
e-signature service is the latest initiative of TRA in this field. The of Bahrain to obtain a license for trust services and e-signature,
increased use of "e-signature" will help to enhance the efficiency after passing the standards and specifications for providing the
of administrative work and the level of performance of government service according to the regulations issued by TRA." "BENEFIT

114 JUN-AUG 2021