Page 98 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Canada Proceeds with CAD1.4bn Telesat Investment; Oneweb Agrees

Satellite Deal with Northwestel

Canada’s federal government has entered industries like air transport and shipping. (MoU) to deliver new connectivity
into an agreement-in-principle with This technology will help the government services to remote mines, businesses and
Telesat to invest CAD1.44 billion (USD1.15 reach its goal of connecting all Canadian governments across Canada’s north using
billion) into Telesat’s advanced low Earth households to high speed internet by 2030, OneWeb’s LEO backbone. Northwestel
orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Telesat including many Indigenous communities president Curtis Shaw commented: ‘This
Lightspeed, through a CAD790 million throughout the north and near north that agreement with OneWeb allows us to
repayable loan and a CAD650 million lack the connectivity required for social, provide improved broadband services to
preferred share equity investment for which economic and cultural prosperity.’ Telesat remote enterprises and governments using
the government would receive a dividend. has committed to investing CAD3.6 state-of-the-art LEO satellite technology.
As part of this investment, the government billion CAPEX in Canada. Separately, We look forward to providing innovative
would also receive warrants that can be LEO satellite operator OneWeb and Bell solutions for northern businesses to go
converted into common shares in Telesat Canada subsidiary Northwestel – northern along with our significant residential
so that Canadians can share in the Canada’s largest telecoms provider – service improvements over the coming
financial upside from Telesat Lightspeed. signed a Memorandum of Understanding years.’
A press release added: ‘Telesat Lightspeed
will enable broadband internet and LTE
and 5G connectivity in Canada starting in
2024, ultimately connecting approximately
40,000 households in rural and remote
regions. It will also allow for significantly
better service offerings in many regions of
the country where current speeds struggle
to meet the demands of an increasingly
digital world, and it will improve the
company’s service for business clients in

USF Committee Approves 30 Projects in Pakistan

The Policy Committee of the Universal Service Fund (USF) under the in the Northern Areas and complete them on a priority basis.
Ministry of Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication He expressed satisfaction over the proposed plans to provide
has approved the budget of over Rs18 billion for 30 projects for uninterrupted high-speed mobile broadband services on national
the financial year 2021/22 and directed to release funds. The highways and to deliver optical fiber cable to the union councils
Policy Committee meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister level across the country to adapt Pakistan to the requirements
for IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque and attended of the future, including 5G. Haque also said that the broadband
by Federal Secretary for IT and Telecommunication Dr. Sohail services and optical fiber projects in the rural and remote areas of
Rajput, Senior Joint Secretary Toaha Hussain Bugti, Member the four provinces are fundamental to the fulfillment of the “Digital
Telecom Muhammad Omar Malik, and other representatives from Pakistan” vision. At the same time, the USF should develop a
the Cabinet and the Finance Division. USF Chief Executive Officer system of strict monitoring of these projects so that there are no
(CEO) Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary apprised the committee on shortcomings and unnecessary delays. On the recommendation
the performance of the last three years and the proposed plans for of the committee members, the federal minister directed the USF
the new financial year 2021/22. Addressing the meeting, Federal to submit a progress report on the status of the projects every
Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque said: three months. Earlier, Chaudhary apprised the members of the
“Under the present government, the USF has shown a 100 percent committee that the project in Kohistan region faced delays due to
increase in its productivity since inception, with six projects in the extreme weather conditions and difficult routes, while another
the first year, 12 in the second year and 25 projects in the third project in the ex-FATA due to the security situation in the area.
year. It is a testament to the rapid and exceptional performance These projects are only 5 per cent of the total projects, while 95
of the company on which the team deserves compliments.” “The per cent of the projects are progressing at their own pace and
USF must maintain this positive momentum with transparency, almost 50 per cent to 75 per cent of the work has been completed.
quality, and timely completion of projects,” he added. The federal Further, he said, the USF has a transparent system of technical
minister directed the USF to immediately start projects for the and monitoring audits based on which the funds are released in
provision of broadband services at key tourist destinations proportion to the work completed on the project

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