Page 124 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

companies specializing in the fields of technology, space and average of 89 milliseconds, and finally Zain at 91 milliseconds. The
innovation. Saudi Arabia strengthens its partnership in the field report is part of CITC’s framework to promote healthy competition
of innovation and technical and digital transformation with some among telecom operators to provide the best experience for
G20 countries In the same context, Al-Sawaha, on the sidelines of gamers, raise the level of transparency in the market, and provide
the meetings of the leaders of the digital economy of the G20, held investors and the public with key data and indicators on the
extensive discussions with the Japanese Minister of the Interior sector’s performance. The Q2 2021 "Game Mode" report also
and Communications Takeda Rota, on bilateral relations between unveils valuable insights on the overall latency performance of
the two countries, in particularly in the fields of communications telecom companies within fixed, mobile, and 5G networks. CITC’s
and information technologies and benefiting from their technical "Game Mode" initiative includes quarterly reports that compare
development and advanced and distinct expertise in this field. response times among service providers across some of the most
Next, she met Josephine Teo, Minister of Communications and popular video games in the Kingdom. In addition, the initiative
Information, head of the Smart Nation and Cybersecurity Initiative includes an award for the internet service provider with the best
in Singapore, during which they reviewed the Kingdom’s promising response time for video gaming, a key indicator of the network’s
investment opportunities in the areas of information technology, performance. (August 4, 2021) saudigazette.com.sa
space and space. innovation. Al-Sawaha has ended his meetings
with his counterpart in South Africa, where they discussed The Communications and Information Technology Commission
opportunities for joint cooperation to accelerate the adoption of (CITC) announced that it has awarded licenses to two new
modern technologies and stimulate digital entrepreneurship and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), bringing the total
partnership in the field of research, development and innovation. number of mobile telecom companies inside the Kingdom
Saudi Arabia is working to strengthen its partnership in the field of to seven. The new companies to be given the licenses, after
innovation and technical and digital transformation with a number winning a competition announced by CITC in February 2021, are
of G20 countries. (August 8, 2021) asumetech.com “Integrated Telecom Mobile Company” (ITC Mobile) and “Future
Networks Communications” Company, doubling the number of
The Communications and Information Technology Commission MVNOs inside the Kingdom. In 2014, CITC awarded the MVNO
(CITC) published the "Game Mode" report for the second quarter licenses to Virgin Mobile KSA and Etihad Jawraa. During the
of 2021, ranking Saudi Arabia’s telecom service providers based licensing ceremony, H.E. Mohammed Al Tamimi, Governor of
on their video game performance. This quarter’s "Game Mode" CITC, mentioned that licensing MVNOs comes in line with the
report reveals that Zain and STC shared first place for quarterly Commission’s plans to stimulate the investment environment
performance in most video games. Zain and STC outperformed for Saudi Arabia’s telecom sector. “At CITC, we aim to enhance
Mobily, and Salam (ITC previously) with lower latency in four of the level of competitiveness in the sector, and improve user
the five most popular games in Saudi Arabia: Fortnite, FIFA 21, experience, by facilitating additional service providers,” he said. Al
Apex Legends, and Dota 2. In Fortnite, the popular video game Tamimi also highlighted telecom service providers as important
amongst Saudi youth, Zain and STC scored an average response partners in transforming the Kingdom into a digital society, a
time of 12 milliseconds. This compared favorably with Mobily key component of Vision 2030, who can contribute to innovation
and Salam at 24 milliseconds. Soccer video game FIFA was also in telecom, mobile data and internet services. Companies with
tested by "Game Mode," with Zain and STC also sharing first MVNO licenses can provide users with services, including voice
place among operators with an average response time of 13 calls, internet, SMS, voicemail, media services and more, without
milliseconds, followed by Mobily at 23 milliseconds, and Salam owning any towers or frequencies. The provision of these services
at 24 milliseconds. Zain and STC also outperformed other service depends on the MVNOs renting or purchasing capacities from
providers in the average response time for the Apex Legends service providers with infrastructure, and then providing services
shooter battle royale game, after recording average response to subscribers. The granting of MVNO licenses to two new market
times of 13 milliseconds, followed by 24 and 28 milliseconds entrants reflects the level of competitiveness in Saudi Arabia’s
for Mobily and Salam respectively. As for the online game DOTA ICT sector, which enjoys attractive advantages for local and
2, Zain topped the list with 20 milliseconds, and STC closely international investors, including robust infrastructure, high user
following at 23 milliseconds, while Salam scored 25 milliseconds, penetration and a clear strategy. The Saudi telecommunications
and Mobily came last with 31 milliseconds. Similar to the previous sector is estimated to contribute 5.3% to the national GDP, with a
quarter, performance remained relatively low across the spectrum market size that reached SAR 69 billion in 2020, growing by 4%
of operators for the popular game League of Legends, with Mobily from the previous year. Capital investments of telecom service
topping the list of service providers with an average latency of 79 providers amounted to SAR 17.6 billion in 2020, and the mobile
milliseconds, followed by STC with 86 milliseconds, Salam with an telecom services penetration reached 135.5%. (July 13, 2021) citc.gov.sa

Sri Lanka

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Lanka a digitally-inclusive nation. ICTA together with the Ministry
is at the forefront of driving digital transformation to make Sri of Technology, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission

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