Page 118 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

transformation in all state sectors. The executive regulations of transformation global trends. The (DX4SW) initiative aims to
the digital signature law have been amended under the decision support digital transformation and enterprise agility in the local
of the Minister of communications and information technology IT sector, by helping software development companies achieve
No. 361 of 2020, to accelerate Egypt’s digital transformation their digital strategies and business objectives. The Digital
adoption; and the central role of digital signature in developing the Transformation 4 Software Development Companies (DX4SW)
efficiency of administrative work; and improving the government initiative comes in cooperation with the Chamber of Information
services, and adding to Egypt’s competitiveness globally. Technology & Communication (CIT) and the Egyptian Information,
(June 28, 2021) egypttoday.com Telecommunications, Electronics, and Software Alliance
(EITESAL). The DX4SW reference architecture and DX guide focus
The communications ministries of Iraq and Egypt have on the development of five main aspects, including the company
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Performance and Outcome, Processes, People, Information
cooperation in the field of ICT. Under the agreement the two Systems, and Technology, leveraging SECC’s expertise in applying
countries will promote the sharing of expertise across a range the international quality standards in the software industry.
of areas including: telecommunications infrastructure, digital According to DX4SW Product Structure, SECC will present an
transformation, capacity building, Arabic digital content, research innovative, technology-enabled, and capability-based reference
and development, and regulations. Following the signing of architecture offering a service roadmap to help these companies
the MoU, the Egyptian ministry has agreed to provide its Iraqi optimize its resources and meet the DX global trends, following
counterpart with assistance in carrying out digital transformation an initial capability assessment for the beneficiary companies.
and automation projects. To that end, the two offices will establish Both CIT and EITESAL will subsidize their member companies to
a joint venture to drive the projects in Iraq, with a joint committee join the initiative according to their size offering 80% to the small
formed to establish its short, medium and long term plans. enterprises, 70% to medium-sized, and 60% to large enterprises.
(June 24, 2021) Agence Ecofin ITIDA has set out the eligibility criteria including the beneficiary
company has at least three years of work experience, must be
The Information Technology Industry Development Agency an Egyptian company working in the ICT field, must be registered
(ITIDA), through its arm Software Engineering Competence in ITIDA’s companies’ online database, and is a member in the
Center (SECC), has launched DX4SW initiative to help the local aforementioned NGOs.
software development companies follow the latest digital (June 1, 2021) egypttoday.com

Iran

The bandwidth available for mobile internet services in Iran The government of Iran is taking full control of the country’s
has increased by 30% this week following the award of new fixed internet infrastructure by hiving off the network assets of
spectrum in the 2.3GHz band. According to a report from incumbent telco Telecommunication Company of Iran (TCI). A
PressTV, frequencies have been allocated to the country’s two report says that a bill has been approved which will transfer the
largest wireless operators, state-backed Mobile Communication control of networks to the government, with part-privatized TCI
Company of Iran (MCI) and MTN Group subsidiary MTN Irancell. having come in for criticism due to a perceived lack of investment
The new spectrum will be used to support 4G services. in fixed infrastructure. Backbone networks are already under state
(July 9, 2021) commsupdate.com supervision via the Telecommunication Infrastructure Company
(TIC), which is controlled by Iran’s ICT Ministry. (June 14, 2021) Press TV

Jordan

The average Internet speed on mobile phones by the end of Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The commission attributed
the first half of 2021 for all telecommunication companies in the increase to the hike in demand imposed by the pandemic-
the Kingdom went up to 23.46 megabits per second (Mbps) induced shift to remote work and online learning. Average speed
compared with 19.48 Mbps during the same period of 2020 said for fixed Internet subscriptions by the end of the first six months
the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC)... The of 2020 stood at 56 Mbps, which grew to 65.4 Mbps by the end
TRC said that the average Internet speed for mobile phones in of June 2021, the TRC said, attributing this to the increase in fiber
the first half of 2020 for the fourth generation stood at 21.8 Mbps, Internet subscriptions.
increasing to 24.7 Mbps in the January-June period of 2021, the (August 29, 2021) zawya.com

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