Page 152 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

cellcos were asked to specify their preferred frequency regulator said it opted for a direct allocation rather than
blocks and to disclose their respective timeframes for an auction process in order to promote competition
achieving specific network coverage requirements for and drive investment.
mainland Mauritius as well as the outer islands. The (June 22, 2021) commsupdate.com

Rotterdam District Court has suspended an underlining that: ‘Due to its great importance, Inmarsat
amendment to the National Frequency Plan via which is obliged to [operate the emergency communications
the State Secretary for Economic Affairs & Climate service] with a confidence level of 99.9%. Due to the
Policy intended to free up the 3.5GHz band for 5G from decision of the State Secretary, this will no longer be
The 1 September 2022 via a license auction expected by possible from 1 September 2022.’ The judge continued
April that year, due to an appeal by satellite operator
that, before adopting that change, the State Secretary
Netherlands Inmarsat. In a preliminary decision, the judge noted should have mapped out how emergency/safety
that Inmarsat currently uses the 3.5GHz band, with a communications could be safeguarded, taking into
ground station located in Burum, Friesland, providing account international treaties to which the Netherlands
emergency/safety communications for shipping and is a party. The main case will be discussed at a hearing
aviation on behalf of the international community, before the end of this year. (July 6, 2021) commsupdate.com

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has international standards, while providing opportunities
issued a statement saying that while Airtel Nigeria has for improved revenue for the government. Equally
applied for the renewal of its Unified Access Service important is the fact that the existing regime is a good
Nigeria License (UASL), the application is yet to be approved 20 years old. Thus, a review of the terms and conditions
of the various license categories, and consultations
as it is still undergoing the required regulatory process.
The statement came in response to recent comments with industry stakeholders, which will be carried out by
from the cellco’s Managing Director and CEO Olusegun an in-house Standing Committee, may well be overdue.
Ogunsanya that Airtel’s mobile operating license, which A draft framework for new and amended licenses will
is due to expire in November 2021, had been renewed follow the review and consultations, said the NCC. This
by the NCC for a further ten years. news follows another big NCC announcement – this
(July 19, 2021) commsupdate.com time affecting the satellite sector, which last week heard
that the NCC had approved 73 commercial satellite
National regulator the Nigerian Communications permits in the country. The space landing permits allow
Commission (NCC) has announced two big initiatives: various satellite providers to offer commercial satellite
a licensing review and the approval of 73 new satellite broadband services to users in Nigeria. Well-known
permits. The NCC announced this week that it has names such as Intelsat, Eutelsat, Avanti, Hylas, Yahsat,
initiated a process for the review of the existing Inmarsat and Iridium are just a few of the recipients of
licensing structure in the country’s telecoms industry. permits covering C band, Ku band, Ka band, L band, XL
While it’s not entirely clear what this will entail, the NCC band, VHF band, Q/V bands, S-band and 3GPP band.
has said that the review was prompted by technological The landing permits cover a period of three to 13 years,
advances and the convergence of technologies and depending on the provider.
services, and will reflect new licensing trends in line with (June 16, 2021) developingtelecoms.com

The National Communications Authority (Nasjonal take effect immediately. As previously reported by
kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) has confirmed its CommsUpdate, under the new legislation changes
final decision on updated price regulation of access have been made to the principles of margin squeeze
to Telenor Norge’s fiber network. The move comes in testing for Telenor’s Virtual Unbundled Local Access
Norway the wake of its decision in June 2021 to send its draft (VULA) fiber service. A first change will see the market
pronouncement to the EFTA Surveillance Authority
share that is assumed for an ‘efficient provider’ in the
(ESA) for its consideration. In a press release the Nkom’s twice-yearly margin squeeze tests and gross
regulator noted that having received feedback from margin tests reduced from 20% to 15%. A second
the ESA, this had not led to a need for changes from amendment, meanwhile, will see a stricter requirement
the draft regulation it had proposed, and as such introduced for the gross margin for individual fiber
it confirmed its newly-issued final decision will products offered by Telenor to companies, so that the

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