Page 136 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The government has seized shares owned by has stated that the country will hold a competitive
companies controlled by former president Nursultan auction for commercial 5G mobile operating licenses
Nazarbaev’s nephew representing nearly 29% of equity in the 3500MHz band at the end of May. As reported
in the country’s largest telecoms group Kazakhtelecom by Profit.kz, Mr. Meiramov, speaking at the MWC 2022
Kazakhstan (KT). In a brief statement on 12 April the government forum in Barcelona, indicated that three 100MHz TDD
confirmed that it had nationalized an almost 25%
frequency blocks will initially be auctioned in each of
KT stake owned by Skyline Investment Company, Kazakhstan’s three largest cities, Nur-Sultan, Almaty
which is controlled by Qairat Satybaldy, who was and Shymkent, with the expectation that all major
arrested last month on charges of embezzlement domestic mobile operators plus several fixed line
and abuse of power. In addition, the government operators will show interest in bidding. The official
statement disclosed that it had seized a KT stake of highlighted that legislation was adopted in 2021 giving
around 4% held by another of Satybaldy’s companies, the Ministry the right to hold a 3500MHz auction, while
Alatau Capital Investment. The report added that the ‘relevant rules were developed and registered with
announcement comes as President Qasym-Zhomart the Ministry of Justice last week’, supporting plans to
Toqaev continues to broaden his power following the launch 5G services in the three largest cities by end-
removal of Nazarbaev and associates from the political 2022. Additional proposals to create a single shared
scene in the wake of unprecedented anti-government 5G infrastructure provider were abandoned. Meiramov
protests in January. (April 14, 2022) RadioFreeEurope also noted that subsequent full national development
of 5G services will require permission for operators
Yerzhan Meiramov, Chairman of the Committee for to utilize multiple frequency bands for their fifth-
Telecommunications of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of generation networks.
Digital Development, Innovation & Aerospace Industry, (March 7, 2022) commsupdate.com

Telecoms watchdog the Communications Regulatory The Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) has
Authority (Rysiu Reguliavimo Tarnyba, RRT) has ruled that operators are permitted to use their existing
published plans for the sale of 5G spectrum in the spectrum allocations to provide 5G services, Deputy CEO
3.5GHz band. The auction will comprise three 100MHz of the RRT Augutis Cesna told BNS. The country is set
Lithuania lots of spectrum in the 3400MHz-3700MHz range, to hold a 5G auction for spectrum in the 700MHz band
valid for 20 years. Bidders will only be able to bid for
in the next few months, with a further auction involving
one block of spectrum during the auction and the 3.5GHz frequencies will follow in the summer, although
starting price for the airwaves is EUR3 million (USD3.3 the regulator has decided that operators can use their
million). Winning bidders are subject to certain rollout existing spectrum holdings to roll out 5G services. ‘It
and service provision and rollout obligations, including has been written before that [operators] only have to
requirements to: launch commercial 5G services in at do this using certain bands that will be auctioned. The
least one city from 2023; deploy 5G networks in major operator will now be able to do so using not only the
cities from 2024; and extend 5G coverage to all towns frequencies currently auctioned, but also those already
and compact built-up areas by 2030. Prospective available. It will be easier. They have a lot of frequencies
bidders must register to take part in the sale by 31 May and will decide for themselves which frequencies to
2022. In a related development, meanwhile, the RRT use,’ Cesna was quoted as saying. The upcoming
has announced the list of participants for the upcoming 700MHz auction comprises the sale of one 2×10MHz
auction of 700MHz spectrum, confirming that Bite block (713MHz-723MHz/768MHz-778MHz) and two
Lithuania, Tele2 Lithuania and Telia Lietuva have all lots of 2×5MHz (723MHz-728MHz/778MHz-783MHz
registered to take part in the tender. As previously and 728MHz-733MHz/783MHz-788MHz), with initial
reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in prices set at EUR5 million and EUR3 million (USD5.8
January this year the RRT postponed the deadline for million and USD3.5 million), respectively. Participants
interested parties to submit documents for the 700MHz will be restricted to bidding on one spectrum block
auction to 25 March 2022. The 700MHz auction during the auction and the concessions are valid for 20
comprises the sale of one 2×10MHz block (713MHz- years. Winning bidders are subject to certain rollout and
723MHz/768MHz-778MHz) and two lots of 2×5MHz service provision obligations, including a requirement
(723MHz-728MHz/778MHz-783MHz and 728MHz- to launch commercial 5G services in at least one of the
733MHz/783MHz-788MHz), with initial prices set at country’s five largest cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda,
EUR5 million and EUR3 million, respectively. Siauliai and Panevezys) within six months and to all
(April 5, 2022) commsupdate.com five by 31 December 2023. (March 9, 2022) commsupdate.com

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