Page 114 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Croatia’s Optima Telekom Attracts Two Bidders

The sale of shares in Croatian telco Optima Telekom (HT) and the 36.90% interest buyout of cellular operator Tele2 Croatia.
Telekom has attracted interest from two owned by Zagrebacka Banka. If confirmed, TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database
potential investors, a local news report both bids would attract the interest of local notes that Optima Telekom offers a range
suggests. Vecernji writes that Amsterdam- competition watchdog AZTN; A1 Group of fixed internet and pay-TV services. It
based United Group and Austria’s A1 Group is already present in Croatia via fixed served 123,407 broadband subscribers
are thought to have submitted bids for the and mobile operator A1 Hrvatska, while and 55,084 pay-TV customers at the end
17.41% stake currently held by Hrvatski United Group this week completed its of 2019.

TRAI Moves to Widen Scope for Tower Companies

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended of network resources which can reduce capex and opex. In a
allowing tower companies to share active infrastructure including statement, TRAI said it aims to enable active infrastructure
RAN, but not licensed spectrum, in a move to encourage sharing sharing by enhancing the scope of providers and incentivizing
the deployment of common sharable, passive and active,
equipment. Currently, the country only permits passive sharing
of wireless equipment. Active sharing means multiple operators
can share RAN gear at base stations, leading to cost reductions
and faster deployments. The recommendation would allow tower
companies to own, set up and maintain all the infrastructure
required for establishing RANs, wireline access networks and
transmission links. But TRAI said they cannot own or deploy core
network elements, or acquire licensed spectrum. TRAI opened
a consultation seeking comments from stakeholders in August
2019: the regulator said it received 29 submissions. The regulator
also recommended tower companies be barred from giving non-
telecoms companies access to their infrastructure.

Verizon, AT&T Dominate Latest US 5G Auction

Verizon and AT&T emerged the winners moved decisively to bolster their already snagged 2,651 licenses for $202.5 million
in a key auction of 5G spectrum, with substantial mmWave holdings, with the through subsidiary Window Wireless. US
the pair committing to spend close to former shelling out $1.624 billion for Cellular, the nation’s fifth-largest operator,
$3 billion in total to secure thousands of 4,940 licenses. AT&T, bidding through its and Sprint (bidding as ATI Sub) also took
new licenses covering mmWave bands. FiberTower Spectrum Holdings subsidiary, part, with the former grabbing 237 licenses
Bidding in the auction of spectrum in the was close behind, spending $1.185 billion for $146.3 million and the latter taking 127
37GHz, 39GHz and 47GHz bands officially on 3,267 licenses. The operators similarly licenses for $113.9 million. The auction
closed 5 March, with winners revealed. led in the earlier mmWave spectrum will allow operators to press ahead with
The sale tallied $7.558 billion, nearly auctions, with AT&T emerging the winner in targeted 5G deployments using mmWave
tripling the combined total raised by two the sale of 24GHz licenses and Verizon in spectrum in more locations while they wait
prior mmWave auctions, which generated the 28GHz proceeding. T-Mobile US sought for an auction of mid-band airwaves which
bids of $2 billion for 24GHz spectrum to close the gap in the latest proceeding, will allow them to offer broader coverage.
and $700 million for 28GHz. Officials spending $872.7 million on 2,384 licenses FCC chairman Ajit Pai in a statement called
said 28 participants claimed a total of to complement some 1,346 licenses it won the auction a “tremendous success,”
14,142 licenses in the latest auction. All in the 24GHz auction. Dish Network, which adding “we look forward to building on
told, 3,400MHz of spectrum was on offer, is poised to make its entrance in the US this positive result” in upcoming mid-band
the largest amount ever sold at one time wireless market once a proposed merger spectrum sales scheduled for June and
in the nation’s history. Verizon and AT&T between T-Mobile and Sprint is finalized, December.

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