Page 121 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Morocco

Morocco’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency had more than 20.5 million internet users in 2017, constituting a
(ANRT) announced that the number of internet subscribers in 58.3% penetration rate and including 12 million Facebook users.
Morocco amounted to 25.38 million in 2019. ANRT released The same body reported statistics about individual internet usage
the figures on its official website on March 6, with the report in 2018 in Morocco. 64% of the population used the internet in
illustrating a significant jump in the number of users of different 2018; more specifically, 61.1% of Moroccan women used the
services. The agency recorded an 11.43% increase in internet internet compared to 68.5% of men. The US-based NGO Freedom
subscriptions in 2019, representing a 2.6% growth from 2018. In House classified internet use in Morocco as “partly free” in its
terms of mobile data subscriptions, ANRT recorded an increase latest Freedom on the Net report. In assessing online freedoms,
of 11.22% in 2019, a growth of 2.21% compared to 2018. 1.48 the NGO relies on a research package based on democracy and
million Moroccans subscribed to DSL broadband connections international human rights laws. Morocco ranked in the same
in 2019, a 4.07% increase from 2018. Meanwhile, the fiber-optic category as Tunisia, Libya, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Ukraine,
network, a new development in Morocco, accumulated 121,237 while the report classified Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the
subscriptions in 2019 against 37,169 the previous year. The UAE, and Bahrain as “non-free” countries.
International Communication Union (ITU) reported that Morocco (March 14, 2020) moroccoworldnews.com

Nepal

Nepal’s telecoms regulator, the Nepal Telecommunications raised by the consumers. Now, consumers can check quality of
Authority (NTA), has reallocated frequencies in the 1800MHz their calls and Internet speed from their phone itself, they added.
band in order to provide Ncell with a 20MHz block of contiguous The NTA Call Test app allows users to examine quality of a call
spectrum and ensure efficient use of spectrum resources, and even complain about it from the app itself. "By using the app,
reports Nepalitelecom.com. The move enables Ncell, Nepal’s consumers can also examine quality of call at various places.
second largest mobile network operator (MNO), to implement They can also rate the quality of service provider from the app
the additional 9MHz of 1800MHz frequencies acquired in the itself," an official of NTA told Republica. Similarly, subscribers can
country’s first spectrum auction held in December 2019, which test the speed of their data service by using Speed Test app. It
increased its total holding in the band to 20MHz. Following the can test the speed of Internet of both mobile and fixed line. NTA
reallocation process, Ncell has been assigned spectrum in the has designed this app based on web. With the help of this app,
1732MHz-1752MHz range, Nepal Telecom (NT) 1710MHz- users can check their Internet speed, as well as know about the
1725MHz, Smart Telecom 1761MHz-1773MHz, United Telecom service provider, location of installation of internet, download
Limited (UTL) 1773MHz-1785MHz, and Nepal Satellite Telecom and upload speed and information regarding delay in browsing,
(Hello Nepal GSM) 1752MHz-1761MHz. (March 17, 2020) commsupdate.com among others. “We have received a lot of complaints regarding
the quality of call and Internet speed through emails, phone calls
Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has launched two and letters. The main motive behind launching these apps was to
mobile applications – Call Test and Speed Test – that allow create a platform where users can test Internet speed and test the
consumers to check their call quality and Internet speed. Minister quality of call from their own phones, and even file a complaint,”
for Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT) Yuba Raj said Aryal. According to NTA officials, NTA will take needful action
Khatiwada launched the applications amid a function organized against the operator if they receive a lot of complaints from the
on the occasion of 22nd anniversary of NTA in Kathmandu. user and if the service provider is proven guilty. “We are hopeful
According to NTA Spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal both the apps that this app will solve the problem of quality and speed of Internet
will be available in Android and iOS platforms within few days. as users can easily file complaint against the service provider.
Consumers have long been complaining about the quality of voice Now that the app has been launched, telecom operators will also
call and Internet speed, among others. NTA officials say that the take the issue seriously," he added.
apps have been developed and launched to address concerns (March 4, 2020) myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com

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