Page 135 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

entrepreneurship program by supporting reforms conducive to Morocco’s Ministry of Education announced on May 31 that the
startups’ development and creating new asset classes for early- TelmidTICE remote learning platform does not require internet
stage financing for innovative enterprises. subscription to access, and that students can also download their
(June 23, 2020) northafricapost.com lessons as well as digital resources on the platform. The Minister
of Education, Said Amzazi, said that the initiative aims to promote
Moroccan Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy that telecom equal opportunities among Moroccan students and facilitate
prices in Morocco are among the lowest in the world and cannot their access to educational content. On April 20, Morocco’s main
be reduced. The Minister made the announcement before the telecommunication company, Maroc Telecom (IAM), announced
Productive Sectors Commission at the House of Representatives. donating MAD 1.5 billion ($146.96 million) to Morocco’s Special
The meeting took place to study five requests by parliamentary Fund for the Management and Response to COVID-19. King
groups concerning the department’s strategy. “Pushing telecom Mohammed VI created the fund on March 15, with an initial
companies to reduce their prices will either make them go budget of MAD 10 billion ($979.9 million), to mitigate the negative
bankrupt or prevent them from making more investments,” said repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis on the Moroccan economy.
Elalamy. “We want more investment in this field, we would like The same day it announced its contribution to the fund, an IAM
to have 5G internet and more.” Elalamy also highlighted how press release reported a 4% growth in total revenue in the first
telecom companies are contributing to the remote learning quarter of 2020. The company’s revenue currently stands at MAD
campaign in Morocco. His ministry was the one to intervene 9.3 billion ($911 million).
to ensure free access for students using the online services. (June 13, 2020) moroccoworldnews.com

Nepal

Nepal Telecommunications Authority has directed can take two SIM cards from each service provider, he said
telecommunication service providers to stop selling more than Recently, the telecom authority directed the firms to distribute
two SIM/RIM cards to each person, which it said leaves room SIM cards and provide a new one if the customer lost or damaged
for the misuse of cards, especially in criminal cases. The cellular their original once they show a document to prove their identity.
companies had been directed to enforce the new provision from Customers can use their citizenship certificate, voter identity
July 8. The authority said that multiple uses of SIM/RIM cards card, passport or any other valid identification determined by the
pose a potential risk on digital payment and banking systems. authority. If telecommunication service providers do not adhere
Min Prasad Aryal, director at the authority, said that the increasing to the regulation as directed by the authority, they will face action
use of digital payment systems has made transactions more as per the Telecommunication Act, 2053. Among four licensed
efficient in several ways but the untraeability of digital cash may telecommunication service providers, Nepal Telecom, Ncell
encourage criminal activities such as money laundering. With the and Smart Cell have been providing the service. According to a
utilization of multiple cards on other digital services and social management and information system report, there are 19,652,285
media which stores customer information in the phone, it could Nepal Telecom subscribers, 16,291,997 of Ncell and 2,130,008 of
also pose a potential risk for criminal activities, he said. The Small Cell as of mid-May. (July 12, 2020) kathmandupost.com
limited distribution of cards for each individual will, however, make
it easier to trace the activities, according to officials. He said that Nepal Telecommunications Authority has directed internet service
as the government is also planning to introduce a Citizens Apps providers to make provisions to let customers know whether they
where mobile phones will be the primary way to access it. “So, we are getting the proper internet service and speeds as per the
thought that the limited distribution of SIM cards will minimize agreement. The move comes amid criticism from users who are
potential criminal activities,” he said, adding that the directive has promised a reliable high-speed internet service in the agreement,
been issued as per international practice. It became important to but internet service providers (ISPs) fail to deliver. The Internet
introduce the rule as the authority recently received complaints Service Providers’ Association said that providing such service
of mis-utilization of mobile numbers, he added. Similarly, Nepal will take time as it needs to install technical devices. With the
Telecom has directed service providers to issue a limit of three number of complaints regarding slow internet service rising, the
SIM/RIM cards per person using CDMA service. For minors, authority directed internet service providers to make provisions
the parents should provide a proof of relationship document as so that customers can check if they are getting the proper service
well as other documents when getting a SIM card for minors. and speeds they signed up for, said Min Prasad Aryal, director
Telecommunication service providers can only issue one SIM at the authority. Bhoj Raj Bhatta, president of Internet Service
or RIM card per minor. In case of customers who have already Providers’ Association of Nepal said that due to the lockdown,
registered more than one SIM card from telecommunication it will take time for ISPs to implement such provisions. He added
service providers, the cards need to be registered under the that ISPs have already started discussions regarding the matter.
names of people who have been using it. However, customers ISPs have already rolled out the service for corporate houses

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