Page 127 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

benefit fully from a fiber connection, and ensure Bahrain is one of more than 30 million successful eKey entries accessing safe and
the world’s leading broadband markets, BNET also proposes to secure electronic services since the start of the pandemic, said the
remove several of the slower speed accesses currently offered. statement from iGA. Also there has been greater linking of various
The deadline for submissions is 2 June. Commenting on this government systems and services to the eKey, which simplified
consultation, TRA General Director Philip Marnick stated: ‘We want identity verification and allowed transactions online to be sped
to ensure all consumers in the Kingdom of Bahrain have access to up, supporting social distancing measures, ensuring business
world class broadband services at good prices. Providing licensed continuity, and all but eliminating the need for physical visits.
operators with a wholesale offer is a key regulatory mechanism Recent additions to the National Portal include a range of services
that underpins competition and choice. The new Reference Offer offered by the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Labor & Social
proposes to streamline the broadband and connectivity speeds Development, among others. Director of Government Systems
available in the Kingdom as well as reducing prices. This will Support & Maintenance Hesham Ebrahim AlHashemi said the eKey
allow enhanced competition in the retail market which will benefit offers access to eServices through the National Portal, bahrain.bh,
consumers and businesses who use telecommunications services, as well as other electronic government channels, eliminating the
in addition to further enhancing Bahrain’s global competitiveness.’ need to enter personal information repeatedly across platforms.
(May 3, 2022) commsupdate.com "Users can also opt to receive important notifications by email or
SMS by entering their details in the system's website, www.ekey.bh.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has These include alerts when users’ personal data is updated, their
published its draft work plan for 2022-2023, structured upon accounts are upgraded, and their passwords are changed, as well
four main pillars: meeting government policy, ensuring a secure as updates on various other transactions conducted through the
and resilient network for all users, reliable broadband for all, and iGA’s electronic channels," he added. A total of 153 eServices that
protecting and empowering consumers. As part of this process, require an eKey are available through the National Portal, bahrain.
the Authority will consult to ensure that everyone’s views are bh and the eGovernment app store, bahrain.bh/apps, including
taken into consideration before publishing the final work plan. services related to ID cards, the General Department of Traffic,
Comments should be submitted by 24 May. Under its proposed judiciary and courts, commercial records, educational qualification
Work Plan, the TRA intends to review several areas including: certifications, financial support for low-income individuals, and the
the sector’s current licensing framework; the universal service Wejhati app for travelers who wish to keep in touch with Bahrain’s
regulation framework; number portability regulation to address embassies abroad. A comprehensive list of services is available
the broadband transfer process; BNET’s revised reference offer on the eKey Services page on www.ekey.bh, stated AlHashemi. He
and cost model, as well as its governance arrangements to ensure called on the public to register for the eKey service, which offers
non-discrimination between all market players; and the retail Basic and Advanced levels of access. The Basic level, available
broadband and domestic data connectivity markets to determine to all Bahrain citizens and residents, as well as those who hold
whether any licensed operator holds Significant Market Power ID cards issued by other GCC countries, can be accessed through
(SMP) in a relevant wholesale market. In addition, the TRA plans either the National Portal or the eKey website. Holders of the Basic
to award permanent frequency licenses in the 3400MHz-3700MHz eKey can upgrade their accounts to the Advanced level through a
band to mobile network operators for an initial 15 years, as well as one-time visit for ID card and fingerprint verification at the iGA’s
develop a detailed spectrum roadmap that meets the requirements ID Card Service Center in Isa Town, the Bahrain Investors Center
of all stakeholders. (April 26, 2022) commsupdate.com at the Financial Harbor, or the Social Insurance Organization, sad
the statement. They can also do this through one of the IGA’s self-
Bahrain's Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has service kiosks, which were launched by Minister of Interior Lt. Gen.
announced that the government’s eKey service has witnessed a Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa in February 2021 and are available
surge in demand during the pandemic, with more than 190,000 at the ID Card Service Centers in Isa Town, Muharraq, and Mina
new users registering since the beginning of March 2020. With Salman, it added.
the total number of users now topping 572,000, there have been (April 24, 2022) www.tradearabia.com

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Illegal VoIP services allow users to make less expensive calls
(BTRC) penalized the four major mobile operators in the nation by bypassing interconnection exchanges and legal international
a total of BDT76.5 million ($823,566) for hosting illegal VoIP gateways, eliminating termination fees which are shared with the
services on SIM cards, The Daily Star reported. BTRC fined government. BTRC cracked down on unauthorized call termination
state-run Teletalk BDT50 million, Robi Axiata BDT20 million, in 2018 and 2019, finding 52,344 SIM cards with illegal VoIP service
Grameenphone BDT5 million and Banglalink BDT1.5 million, with from the four operators and originally fining them BDT266 million,
payment required by the end of June, the local newspaper wrote. The Daily Star stated. The fines were reduced at a hearing in April

127 MAY-JUNE 2022