Page 150 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Regulatory Unit of Communications Services The Regulatory Unit of Communications Services
(Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones, (Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones,
URSEC) has authorized five cable operators to offer URSEC) has revealed that a total of 22,725 mobile
broadband internet services. Cable Montevideo phone numbers were successfully transferred to
Uruguay (Montecable), Tractoral (TCC), Korfield, Praimar and another network provider in the three months since
the launch of mobile number portability (MNP) at the
Riselco (Nuevo Siglo) are now permitted to offer
broadband to consumers after filing a legal action start of this year. State-owned Antel saw 9,594 numbers
challenging the constitutionality of Article 56 of the ported to and 8,556 from its network by 31 March 2022
Law on Audiovisual Communication Services, which (a net gain of 1,038 subscriptions), while 5,643 numbers
prohibits TV operators from also offering voice and were transferred to and 5,732 from the network of Claro
data transmission services. In 2016 the Supreme (a net loss of 89) and 7,488 subscriptions were ported
Court of Justice ruled in their favor but the article to and 8,437 from the network of Movistar (a net loss
remained in place due to lack of political support for its of 949). The launch of MNP officially took place on
elimination. Until now, state-owned national telecoms 12 January, enabling the country’s cellular customers
operator Antel was the only firm permitted to offer fixed to retain their number if they switch provider. Mobile
broadband services, but an unnamed ‘local expert’ told operators bear the cost of the number transfer process,
that URSEC’s move to authorize the five cablecos could which should take no more than three business days
pave the way for the elimination of Article 56 as part to complete. Users will be able to port their number
of the national accountability project, which is set to be between companies a maximum of three times per
analyzed by congress at the end of June. The decision year. The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining said
to only give authorization to the firms that had taken the launch of MNP will encourage competition between
legal action will create a market asymmetry that could mobile operators Antel, Movistar and Claro, and will
put pressure on lawmakers to level the playing field, the promote the rights of consumers.
expert said. (June 17, 2022) BNamericas (May 3, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory heritage of minority groups, linguistic diversity and
Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has implemented a local content creation. In fact, the internet promotes
new traffic monitoring and revenue assurance system the widening of the gap between cultural and linguistic
to stem financial leakages from telecoms services. groups." Machengete bemoaned limited investment
Zimbabwe Previously, operators made voluntary declarations of in translating content into minority languages, which
traffic levels, which the regulator said was no longer
had caused the dominance of content in a select few
adequate as it could lead to inaccurate taxation. languages. "As long as there is not enough investment
POTRAZ added that the system will also be used to in translating content on the internet to all languages
curb fraudulent activities in the telecoms sector, such then others will always be left behind," Machengete
as illegal call routing. (June 8, 2022) commsupdate.com said. "Irrelevant content which reflects language,
lifestyles and concerns that do not address the needs
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory of residents of developing countries, is a challenge that
Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) is promoting the needs to be addressed," he added. (June 5, 2022) bulawayo24.
creation of online content in local languages to support com
inclusive internet usage. Addressing the World Summit
of Information Society Forum (WSIS) on Wednesday, The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory
Potraz director-general Gift Machengete said the Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) says that
localized internet content would be shared through infrastructure sharing between mobile operators is now
community information centers. "In order to maximize active at 267 sites across the country. A report from
the benefits of community information centres to local TechZim says that all three of the country’s cellcos are
communities, there is need for these centers to have participating, while fixed line incumbent TelOne is also
local content relating to localized economic and social sharing tower infrastructure with mobile providers
activities including local tourism, produce markets, Econet, NetOne and Telecel. In addition, operators are
weather patterns and community meetings, among other leasing infrastructure from entities such as utility group
things," Machengete said. "The advent of information Powertel, National Railways of Zimbabwe, Transmedia,
communication technologies saw the development of ZIMRA and local authorities. Network sharing was
the digital divide, as content especially on the internet implemented in Zimbabwe in an effort to keep rollout
follows a cultural and linguistic perspective of content costs down for telcos as they look to expand network
creators. As a result, the divide actually keeps widening coverage.
as the internet does not promote cultural diversity, (May 11, 2022) commsupdate.com

150 MAY-JUNE 2022