Page 143 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

to ensure their respective quality of service levels and are included in the current Access List Determination
user experience comply with the country’s Mandatory (ALD), dated 2 December 2021. The watchdog has
Standards for Quality of Services (MQSoS), the MCMC invited members of the public to participate in this
notes that failure to comply with the directives could inquiry by sending written submissions on the specific
results in each of the operators being subject to fines of questions, preliminary views and the rationale and
up to MYR200,000 (USD45,370). analysis presented in its paper. A deadline of 8 August
(June 24, 2022) commsupdate.com 2022 has been set for submissions. Among the notable
proposals made by the MCMC are plans to include two
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia new defined terms in the MSA, those being: ‘customer
Commission (MCMC) is launching a public inquiry on demand list’, defined as being ‘a list submitted by an
a review of ‘Mandatory Standard on Access’ (‘MSA’). access seeker requiring certain actions to be taken by
In a press release regarding the matter the regulator the access provider to facilitate the placement of an
said that the inquiry was being carried out pursuant to order’; and ‘high priority areas’, which would be defined
sections 55, 56, 104(2) and 106 of the Communications as meaning ‘certain locations, facilities or areas in
and Multimedia Act 1998. A public inquiry paper respect of which a new fast-track process for access
released by the MCMC has set out its preliminary views to Common Antenna Systems will apply to facilitate the
on amendments to non-pricing terms and conditions placement of an Order by the access seeker’.
for those communications facilities and services that (June 14, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto decrease and revert in favor of the other shareholders
Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has approved the as the credit is paid off. The IFT notes that the term
proposed financing arrangement between the Mexican of the PPP contract has been modified, from 20 years
Development Bank (Banobras, Nafin and Bancomext) (with the possibility of extension) to 40 years (without
Mexico and ALTAN Redes (Red Compartida), which will result the possibility of extension). Further, the watchdog has
in the latter becoming a public-private partnership reiterated the coverage milestones approved in February
(PPP). The Mexican Development Bank will loan ALTAN 2022: 85% by 24 January 2027 and 92.2% by 24 January
Redes USD161 million, while other shareholders will 2028. Red Compartida launched its open access 4G
provide loans worth USD50.5 million. As a result, ALTAN network in March 2018. A total of 114 MVNOs are now
Redes’ shares will be contributed to a Trust, which will offering connectivity via the 700MHz network, while
be 61%-owned by the Mexican Development Bank and 81% of the subscriptions are mobile users and the
39%-owned by the other shareholders. The Mexican other 19% correspond to fixed wireless access (FWA)
Development Bank will have the right to appoint the accounts. Red Compartida currently offers coverage to
majority of the members of the Board of Directors, 70.97% of the population.
while its percentage of trustee rights will gradually (June 23, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Moldovan regulator ANRCETI has published three regional coverage and publicly available electronic
draft decisions on the award of DTT channel licenses communications services, in digital terrestrial TV
in the country. In a statement, it says that they will be system
available for public consultation until July 15. ANRCETI 3) the project on the approval of the Special License
Moldova adds that the decisions are: Conditions for the use of radio frequencies / channels
1) the project regarding the approval of the procedure in the frequency band (470-694 MHz) in order to provide
for organizing and conducting the competition for networks with regional coverage and publicly available
issuing licenses for the use of radio frequencies / electronic communications services in digital terrestrial
channels in order to provide publicly available electronic TV system.
communications networks and services, in the digital Broadband TV News notes that the transition to digital
terrestrial TV system terrestrial broadcasting in Moldova was due to be
2) the project for the approval of the specifications of concluded at the beginning of this year. This, according
the competition for the issuance of licenses for the to Moldpres, was following the approval of a draft law
use of frequencies / radio channels in the frequency on the process by the country’s Cabinet of Ministers on
band (470-694 MHz) in order to provide networks with December 14, 2021. (June 27, 2022) broadbandtvnews.com

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