Page 127 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

America Movil (AM)-backed Telcel could be the only report indicates that both AT&T and Movistar will sit out
Mexican cellco to participate in the government’s the process. While a date for the auction has not yet
planned multi-band 5G spectrum auction. Despite been set, the main 5G spectrum bands scheduled for
expressing misgivings about the high cost of the inclusion are 70MHz in the 614MHz-698MHz (600MHz)
Mexico frequencies, Alejandro Cantu, the group’s Director band, a 50MHz block at 3300MHz-3350MHz and
of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, told the publication: 90MHz in the L-band (1427MHz-1518MHz).
‘We already have 5G spectrum and we will always be (Jun 7, 2023) El Economista
evaluating the tenders called by the regulator.’ The

The Minister of Transport and Communications has the sale of over 80% of Tmcel’s assets, the reduction
warned that state-backed Mocambique Telecom of its workforce and the assumption of debt by the
(Tmcel) risks collapse if urgent action is not taken to state, with a view to attracting a strategic partner to
shore up its business. Lusa cites Mateus Magala as help with the company’s recovery. In April this year the
Mozambique saying that the fixed and mobile operator ‘has lost day-to-day running of Tmcel was transferred to its 90%
the capacity to honor its commitments, including not shareholder, state asset management agency Instituto
paying salaries to its many workers, and has an overall de Gestao das Participacoes do Estado (IGEPE).
accumulated debt of over USD400 million, with a (May 12, 2023) www.datacenterdynamics.com
tendency to worsen’. A government study has advised

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia for the implementation of IMT-2020 services on 1
(CRAN) has revealed plans to auction 5G-suitable October 2023, through an auction process … To ensure
3.5GHz spectrum licenses on 1 October. The watchdog transparency and gather feedback from stakeholders,
will publish its bidding documents on 1 August. The site CRAN will be releasing the bid document on 1 August
Namibia quotes the CRAN as saying: ‘We are pleased to inform 2023, allowing interested parties to provide their
stakeholders of our intention to release spectrum comments.’ (Jun 16, 2023) The Brief

The New Zealand government has signed an agreement (USD15.2 million), which will be allocated to the Rural
with the country’s three major mobile network operators Connectivity Group (RCG) to support the expansion of
(MNOs) – Spark, 2degrees and One New Zealand – for mobile coverage further into rural New Zealand and
a direct allocation of C-band mobile spectrum under a address mobile black spots on state highways. This
New Zealand new model where the revenue is directly invested into funding is additional to the value of the works required
accelerated mobile network upgrades for provincial to provide 5G to towns. The agreement builds on other
and rural areas of the country. The three MNOs will government investment, including the NZD60 million
each receive 80MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band, allocated through Budget 2022 for rural connectivity
which the government considers sufficient for the improvements, as well as the NZD47 million of rural
operation of nationwide 5G networks, with the long- capacity upgrades that commenced in February 2022.
term management rights taking effect from 1 July Commenting on the agreement, Digital Economy and
2023, when the short-term rights extended in October Communications Minister Ginny Andersen said: ‘As part
2022 come to an end. The Interim Maori Spectrum of this new agreement, our three major mobile network
Commission, meanwhile, will be assigned 100MHz operators must increase the pace of the 5G rollout to
of frequencies which it will manage on behalf of small towns across New Zealand and to continue their
the Maori community. Dense Air New Zealand, a efforts to further expand mobile wireless coverage in
current interim holder of 3.5GHz spectrum rights and rural areas. This deal is a huge step forward for rural
which had previously been in negotiations with the New Zealand when it comes to connectivity. By working
government for long-term rights in the band, has since together with our telecommunications operators
decided to withdraw from the process. In return for more Kiwis will have access to faster wireless mobile
the allocated spectrum, Spark, 2degrees and One New services.’ (May 12, 2023) www.datacenterdynamics.com
Zealand will each pay the government NZD24 million

127 MAY-JUNE 2023