Page 134 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY ACTIVITIES BEYOND

THE SAMENA REGION

The National Communications Agency (Ente Nacional in the 2600MHz band … this will promote general
de Comunicaciones, ENACOM) has agreed to provide the efficiency and competition between the different
country’s incumbent mobile operators with additional operators, resulting in an improvement in the quality of
2600MHz frequencies, in order to help them boost LTE the 4G service received by users.’ In May 2017 ENACOM
Argentina coverage. As part of the distribution process ENACOM initiated a tender process for FDD/TDD spectrum in the
will reorganize existing 2600MHz spectrum holdings on 2500MHz-2690MHz (2.6GHz) frequency range. Two
a contiguous basis. The decision was authorized by the months later it was confirmed that Claro and Movistar
regulator’s Board of Directors which convened for its had each acquired 2×15MHz FDD blocks, while Personal
78th meeting. ENACOM stated: ‘This new assignment, bid on a 2×20MHz FDD block alongside an unpaired
and the subsequent reordering of all assignments, will 20MHz TDD block; no prices were disclosed.
give providers the possibility of equalizing their holdings (May 16, 2022) commsupdate.com
both in the total amounts and in the amounts assigned

Australia’s new government claims to have achieved broadband providers to access the NBN until 2040,
its first major milestone under the ‘Better Connectivity the ACCC has released an accompanying consultation
for Rural and Regional Australia Plan’, announcing that paper on the proposal and has called for feedback
AUD480 million (USD333 million) has been provided to from interested parties. In a press release regarding
Australia NBN Co to upgrade the fixed wireless element of the the development ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey
National Broadband Network (NBN). In a press release said: ‘The [SAU] exists to promote competition and
regarding the matter, it was noted that with the plan efficiency in Australia’s broadband market, to the
aiming to deliver improved communications coverage benefit of households and businesses … The variation
in regional Australia, it is expected that the funding will will influence the price, quality and range of broadband
enable consumers in the NBN fixed wireless footprint to offers in the market for the next two decades. Before we
benefit from access to increased download speeds of decide whether to accept NBN Co’s proposed variation,
up to 100Mbps, with up to 85% able to access downlink we are conducting a public consultation to hear from the
rates of 250 Mbps. Meanwhile, fixed wireless coverage retailers who sell NBN services, other service providers,
is set to be expanded to cover a further 120,000 currently and households and businesses that rely on the NBN
satellite-only premises. Further, the government has for their broadband.’ Of note, the variation reportedly
suggested that by settling funding arrangements seeks to incorporate fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) and other
now, NBN Co will be able to increase Sky Muster data copper-based technologies in the SAU, with a view to
allowances and product inclusions in coming weeks, creating a single regulatory framework that covers all
with further enhancements to follow after the upgrades network technologies. At present, the existing SAU –
are complete. Such work will reportedly benefit around which has been in place since 2013 and is scheduled to
300,000 premises. With the funding in place, NBN operator until 2040 – only applies to a subset of network
Co will now roll out the fixed wireless upgrades over technologies, namely fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), fixed
the next two and a half years, it was noted. More wireless and satellite. However, with such connections
information about exactly when, where, and how these accounting for only around one quarter of the NBN’s
improvements are to be made available will reportedly assets, it has been suggested that extending it to cover
be announced by the operator ‘over the coming months. the other technologies would bring the majority of NBN
(June 27, 2022) commsupdate.com assets into this regulatory framework. Meanwhile, NBN
Co’s variation also proposes significant changes to
NBN Co’s proposed variation to its Special Access product and pricing commitments, the framework for
Undertaking (SAU), which is a key part of the regulation its cost recovery, and rules for how the ACCC assesses
of the National Broadband Network (NBN), has been network expenditure. A deadline of 8 July 2022 has been
published by the Australian Competition and Consumer set by the ACCC for submissions to its consultation.
Commission (ACCC). With the undertaking setting (May 23, 2022) commsupdate.com
the maximum prices and terms and conditions for

134 MAY-JUNE 2022