Page 106 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Government Advised to Partially Privatize Telecom Namibia

An advisory panel established by Namibian The potential sale is among the measures economy. The panel also approved plans,
President Hage Geingob has recommended included in a report that considers the first announced in May 2019, to list
that Telecom Namibia (TN) should be future of 22 state-owned companies as Mobile Telecommunications (MTC) on the
partially privatized, reports The Namibian. part of a strategy to revitalize the nation’s Nambian Stock Exchange.

Supreme Court Rejects Self-Assessed AGR Dues

India’s Supreme Court has criticized telcos and the Department of Economic Times writes. The court ruled that operators must
Telecommunications (DoT) for conducting self-assessments of pay the full dues – including interest and penalties – in line with
Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR)-related dues without permission the government’s initial estimate, which it described as ‘full and
from the apex court, calling the move tantamount to ‘fraud’, the final’. The court went on to say that ‘exercise of self-assessment
of AGR dues by telecom companies cannot be permitted even in
wildest dreams’. Referring to the DoT’s decision to ask companies
to complete and submit self-assessments for the dues, which
it would then use in its own calculations, the Supreme Court
accused the ministry of attempting to override its ruling. Further,
the bench reiterated further legal action against DoT officials
and company executives with Justice Mishra quoted as saying
‘We can call every managing director of the companies and send
them to jail from here’. As previously reported by TeleGeography’s
CommsUpdate, Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices (TTSL) have
paid what they claim is the full amount of their AGR dues based on
their self-assessments, but the figures were substantially lower
than the DoT’s original estimates. For its part, Vodafone Idea paid
what it said was the principal amount of its AGR bill earlier this
week.

Mobile Operators Seek Help for Uninterrupted Service in Bangladesh

Mobile operators sought assistance electricity, water, gas, fire service, cleaning services and keep their offices open
from the government, especially from the operations, telephone, and internet will without any disruption, added the release.
law enforcement agencies, to continue continue providing services and keep Bangladesh is currently going through a
providing uninterrupted services to the their offices open during the holidays 10-day shutdown from March 26 to April
people during the holidays because and shutdown. However, in some places, 4 to battle the spread of coronavirus.
of the coronavirus outbreak in the officials and or representatives of the Bangladesh recorded five deaths
country. Telecom has been declared mobile network operators faced challenges and 39 infections from the COVID-19
as an emergency service following from the law enforcement agencies during pandemic announced by the World Health
the government's instructions, reports their official works including network Organization (WHO). The fast spreading
UNB. Mobile network operators have management, recharge and distribution coronavirus, which was first reported in
been providing uninterrupted services and customer service. The Association of China's Wuhan, has claimed more than
across the country, said a press release. Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh 16,700 lives and infected over 386,000
According to notices circulated by the (AMTOB) has requested law enforcement people across the world till date, according
Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Public agencies to communicate with their field to Worldometer. More than 102,000 people
Administration on March 20, providers officials so that mobile operators can have recovered from the virus, which has
of emergency utility services such as provide their countrywide uninterrupted now spread to 196 countries.

106 MARCH 2020