Page 130 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

emerging online consumer harms and encouraging consumer protection, online safety, communications
innovation while balancing protections. ACMA chair and data issues intersect. Falk added the group is a
Nerida O’Loughlin stated the forum is another step in “targeted and flexible regulatory response” to address
“ensuring Australia is at the forefront in the regulation the opportunities and risks posed by the expansion
of the digital environment” and will assist regulators of the digital economy. ACCC chair Rod Sims noted
in working more closely together to ensure platforms it observed harm to competition, consumers and
are up to scratch. In a separate statement, Australian business users in a range of areas since it began
Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner examining digital services in 2017.
Angelene Falk noted the forum aims to “build a ring (March 11, 2022) mobileworldlive.com
of regulatory defence” where privacy, competition,

Barbados has issued a third telecoms license, as it are on course to be introduced this year, he clarified,
seeks to break up the long-standing Digicel-Flow noting: ‘We are learning from the errors and mistakes
duopoly. Clifford Bostic, Director of Digital Infrastructure from all those countries who have implemented
at the Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and number portability, and when we come to the market
Barbados Technology (MIST). ‘We have a third service provider in mid-2022, you will see both mobile as well as fixed
in Barbados that has been licensed, and that is KW services with number portability.’ While little is known
Telecommunications Ltd, and they are also preparing about KW Telecommunications – or its backers – the
for number portability, as well as preparing to launch newcomer appears set to fill the void left when debt-
their services in Barbados.’ Both mobile number wracked Ozone Wireless shut down in August 2019,
portability (MNP) and fixed number portability (FNP) barely two years after its launch. (March 8, 2022) Barbados Today

The Belarusian Communications and Informatization Belarusian Cloud Technologies (beCloud) announced
Minister, Konstantin Shulgan, as saying that his the ramping up of its 5G test zones in the country, as
country is ‘ready’ to deploy 5G technology. ‘We’ve been it entered the second stage of widescale testing ahead
making preparations by arranging test areas where of the commercial launch of the technology. In a press
Belarus every mobile carrier had a go at 5G technology. We release at the time, the company noted that since 2020 it
saw how it erases boundaries between the city and has been carrying out trials to explore the possibilities of
the village in service provision,’ he is quoted as saying, 5G technology and determine the optimal scenarios for
noting that national PTO Beltelecom, MTS Belarus and its implementation in Belarus. With the tests organized
Huawei have ‘arranged a test site’ in Kopyl District, into frequencies in the 2500MHz-2570MHz/2620MHz-
Minsk Oblast. Shulgan went on to say: ‘This technology 2690MHz and 3400MHz-3800MHz bands, between
already allows starting practical work in this direction May and December 2020 beCloud began verification of
because the effect of the 5G technology is dozens of fifth-generation technologies in Minsk and Gomel.
times higher than that of the 4G technology’. In June (April 13, 2022) News portal BelTA
last year, Belarus’ national infrastructure operator

Telecoms regulator the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) has
Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) has allocated announced that five operators have qualified to
exclusive spectrum in the 70GHz/80GHz frequency participate in the long-awaited auction of new 5G and
bands to mobile network operators (MNOs) Telenet, existing 2G and 3G spectrum in the 700MHz, 900MHz,
Belgium Proximus and Orange Belgium for the use of radio relay 1400MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz and the 3600MHz
links. Following its decision of 30 March 2021 to grant frequency bands scheduled for June 2022. The names
each of the three MNOs provisional user rights to 1GHz of the candidates were not disclosed, and they will
of spectrum in the band, the regulator has now extended take part in the auction anonymously. The BIPT has
the allocation for a further twelve months, until 30 confirmed five candidates have been deemed eligible
March 2023. The BIPT notes the 70GHz/80GHz band to bid for 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz frequencies
could be essential for future 5G backhaul requirements. (mostly used for 2G, 3G and 4G applications), the
(March 31, 2022) commsupdate.com 700MHz, 1400MHz and 3600MHz bands (the first to
be used for 5G services), the 3600MHz 5G ‘capacity
Telecoms regulator the Belgian Institute for Postal band’ and the 700MHz 5G ‘coverage band’. Only three

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