Page 125 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) INR1.5 trillion (USD18.97 billion) on frequencies in the
is planning to seek approval from the Committee of 700MHz, 800MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 3.5GHz and
Secretaries (CoS) regarding the inclusion of a number 26GHz bands. (Jun 7, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
of unused spectrum bands in its next 5G spectrum
India auction. A DoT official with knowledge of the matter Sector watchdog the Telecom Regulatory Authority
told the Economic Times that the DoT is keen to
of India (TRAI) has published its recommendation on
incorporate the 3.7GHz-4.2GHz band, the L-band the methodology of applying Spectrum Usage Charges
(1427MHz-1518MHz), the 470MHz-582MHz band (SUC) in cases of spectrum sharing. The Department
and 37GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies in of Telecommunications (DoT) had asked the TRAI to
its planned spectrum sale. ‘The mid-band is ideal for reconsider its position that an incremental SUC of 0.5%
5G services and in the last sale, the spectrum in the should be levied only on the specific spectrum band
3.3GHz [band] was bought by all three telcos,’ a DoT being shared. The DoT’s view is that the 0.5% increment
official said on condition of anonymity. As per reports should be applied to the weighted average rate of SUC,
last month, India’s next spectrum auction is earmarked based on a cellco’s entire spectrum holdings. In its
to take place in January/February 2024. The process response to the DoT, the TRAI maintained its position,
will coincide with the expiration of certain Bharti Airtel referring back to arguments it had made previously,
and Vodafone Idea (Vi) licenses in circles such as notably that if the DoT’s interpretation is used ‘the
West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Odisha. The country’s cost of spectrum sharing could surpass the benefits
previous multi-band spectrum auction took place in the achieved by the TSPs’. The TRAI added that there is ‘no
summer of 2022. Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio), Bharti rationale’ for incrementing the weighted average SUC.
Airtel, Vi and Adani Data Networks spent a total of (May 3, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Communication and Informatics (MCI, Government Regulation Number 46 of 2021 concerning
aka KemKominfo) has reviewed a joint application Post, Telecommunications and Broadcasting, a
submitted by two of Indonesia’s mobile network thorough evaluation has been carried out in accordance
operators (MNOs), Telkomsel (Telekomunikasi Selular) with the provisions stipulated in the said Government
Indonesia and Smart Telecom (Smartfren), allowing for the Regulation as well as a number of provisions contained
in the Minister of Communication and Information
transfer of certain frequencies in the 2.3GHz radio
frequency band from the former to the latter. The Regulation Number 7 of 2021 regarding the Use of the
Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G Radio Frequency Spectrum,’ he explained, adding that on
Plate, reportedly approved the transfer last week after the basis of the outcome of the review KemKominfo had
evaluating the application. ‘According to regulations, it approved the transfer of Telkomsel’s part of the rights
is possible for telecommunications network operators to use the radio frequency spectrum in the 2.3GHz radio
holding Radio Frequency Band Permits (IPFR) to frequency band to Smartfren (effective 18 April 2023).
transfer the right to use radio frequency spectrum The official noted that in approving the joint application,
to other telecommunications network operators,’ KemKominfo has optimized the 2.3GHz band ‘because
said Director of Resources Management at the the width of the bandwidth becomes uniform nationally
Directorate General of Resources and Equipment of in all service areas for both cellular MNOs using radio
Post and Information Technology of the Ministry of frequency band 2.3GHz referred to’.
Communication and Informatics, Denny Setiawan. (May 3, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
‘Following up on the provisions in Article 57 of

The Commission for Communications Regulation VDSL-based fixed broadband subscriptions declined
(ComReg) has published its ‘Quarterly Key Data Report’ by 4.3% to 513,916, while subscriptions using xDSL
for the three months ended 31 March 2023. Among the technology fell by 6.6%, to 109,457. Alongside the
main findings in the report, the watchdog highlighted the uptick in fiber-based subscriptions, the regulator noted
Ireland continuing trend towards fiber-based fixed broadband a continued increase in the number of subscriptions
signed up to a higher speed service. According to its
services, noting that ‘for the first-time fiber-to-the-
premises (FTTP) is now the most commonly purchased data, just over 59% of all fixed broadband subscriptions
broadband technology in Ireland’. With fixed broadband in the country were for a service offering downlink
subscriptions having increased by 1.9% year-on-year, to speeds of 100Mbps or greater at the end of Q1 2023, up
1.618 million as of 31 March 2023, ComReg reported from 51.6% a year earlier, while 34.2% of subscriptions
that FTTP-based subscriptions represented over a third were for a 500Mbps or faster service (1Q22: 22.2%).
of that total – 537,244, up 34.8% y-o-y. By comparison, (Jun 16, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

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