Page 134 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Spanish government postponed a planned auction operators splashing a total €438 million for 200MHz
for 5G-suitable 700MHz spectrum, blaming exceptional frequencies.
circumstances caused by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) (March 31, 2020) commsupdate.com
outbreak. In a statement, the Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Digital Transformation said it had informed The Spanish government has delayed plans to auction
Spain the European Commission of its need to defer the spectrum in the 694MHz-790MHz (700MHz) spectrum
process, which was scheduled to be completed by 30 – referred to as the ‘second digital dividend band’ –
June. Spain plans to reallocate frequencies currently after concerns were raised by telecoms operators and
assigned to television channels in the 700MHz band Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) service providers.
for use in future 5G networks, which will then be Telcos have expressed ‘operational and financial’
auctioned to operators once conditions improve. The concerns, while free-to-air television broadcasts
ministry explained the decision to stay the process is are viewed as essential as a result of the ongoing
intended to free operators to focus on “maintaining the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. A Royal Decree
connectivity of companies and people in this time of was signed in March 2019, kick-starting the release of
health emergency”. It added it would announce a new the 700MHz band, which was scheduled to be freed up
date for the auction once the containment measures by the end of this month. The European Commission
adopted by the country to contain the virus end. The timetable expected 700MHz services to be made
nation is the latest in Europe to suspend 5G auction available for mobile broadband across Europe by 30
processes due to the pandemic, with France, Austria June 2020, although this deadline is now expected to
and Portugal also delaying sales. Spain held its first be postponed in light of current events.
auction for 5G-suitable spectrum in July 2018, with (March 20, 2020) commsupdate.com

MTN Uganda has agreed to pay USD100 million to a USD118 million price tag on the ten-year license, or
renew its license for a further ten years. The decision USD150 million for a 15-year concession. According
follows more than a year of negotiations, during which to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, market
the South African-owned cellco has been forced to leader MTN controls around 43% of all mobile
Uganda operate under a series of temporary permits. It was subscribers in Uganda.
reported last year that the government was pushing for
(March 13, 2020) commsupdate.com

Ukraine’s regulator has issued the country’s three that each operator paid a different fee for their license,
major players with 900MHz licenses. Kyivstar, Lifecell with Kyivstar paying UAH260 million (US$9.33 million),
and Vodafone Ukraine have each received a technolo- Lifecell UAH121 million, and Vodafone UAH230 million.
gy-neutral license from the NCCIR (National Commis- Kyivstar is the market leader by subscribers. The oper-
sion for State Regulation of Communications & Infor- ator stated that the new LTE-900 license would allow
Ukraine matization), allowing them to begin offering 4G LTE-900 it to “begin technical work to launch high speed mo-
services from 1st July 2020. Under the terms of the li- bile internet in the remotest corners of Ukraine”, noting
censes, the operators must extend LTE-900 services to that it had returned some of its GSM spectrum to allow
all areas of the country with a population of over 2000 equal access to next-generation frequencies for all op-
people across the next two years. By 2024, their 4G erators. In addition to the main three operators, CDMA
coverage must reach 90% of the country’s population. provider Intertelecom is also looking to obtain an LTE-
The 900MHz frequency was previously used exclusive- 900 license. While it missed the initial payment dead-
ly for GSM services, and each provider held a different line of 10th March, the NCCIR has given it until 1st April
amount. Redistributing their respective ranges meant to come up with the fee. (March 22, 2020) developingtelecoms.com

UK regulator Ofcom finalized rules for an upcoming which will see operators placing offers for airwaves
auction of spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.6GHz to separately to determine the amount of spectrum they
3.8GHz bands, in an effort to boost the rollout of 5G get; and an assignment phase involving a round of
networks and enhance mobile broadband in the bidding to decide on the specific frequencies which will
United country. Ofcom announced it will release 80MHz of be allocated. Ofcom said it will let winners of 3.6GHz to
3.8GHz spectrum negotiate their placements within the
spectrum in the 700MHz band, and 120MHz in the
Kingdom 3.6GHz to 3.8GHz range, increasing the total amount band between themselves, to “give mobile operators
of available mobile airwaves in the UK by 18 per cent. the opportunity to create more continuous blocks
The auction will involve two stages: a principal one of 5G-ready spectrum”. The regulator stated it was
134 MARCH 2020