Page 118 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) in entities/bodies are welcome to submit applications for
Hong Kong has launched a subsidy scheme aimed at projects which are able to bring substantive benefits to
promoting new 5G projects across the territory. Under the business/sector concerned through the deployment
the scheme, the government will subsidies 50% of the of 5G as well as demonstrate innovation or cross-
Hong Kong actual cost directly relevant to the deployment of 5G sectoral synergy.’ TeleGeography’s GlobalComms
technology in an approved project, subject to a cap
Database notes that three of Hong Kong’s four mobile
of HKD500,000 (USD64,500). Around 100 qualified network operators (MNOs) launched commercial 5G
projects will be subsidized, with the scheme aiming to services on 1 April, with the fourth – SmarTone – still
promote projects such as smart city applications. An pushing ahead with its own 5G network rollout.
OFCA spokesperson commented: ‘Public and private (May 11, 2020) commsupdate.com

Iceland’s telecoms watchdog the Post and Telecom and the supply of 5G services in the near-term. The
Administration (PTA, or Post-og Fjarskiptastofnun PTA said that the renewal of the three concessions
[PFS]) has awarded 5G spectrum to three operators will depend on whether the companies have used the
– Siminn, Nova and Vodafone Iceland (Syn) – with assigned frequencies in accordance with the PTA’s
Iceland the concessions valid until 31 December 2021. The criteria. According to PTA’s terms and conditions, 5G
services should be available to 25% of the population
allocations in the 3.6GHz band are as follows:
• Siminn: block B3600 (3500MHz-3600MHz) (via at least 30 mobile sites) by the end of 2021. In
• Nova: block C3600 (3600MHz-3700MHz) particular, Siminn is required to provide 5G services
• Vodafone Iceland (Syn): block D3600 (3700MHz- with minimum downlink of 200Mbps to 90% of the
3800MHz). population in Blonduos, Thorlakshofn and Egilsstadir;
Nova (Hellu, Sandgerdi and Vestmannaeyjum); and
The regulator highlighted that the remaining 100MHz Vodafone Iceland (Hvolsvelli, Siglufirdi and Grindavik).
in the band would be distributed at a later stage, as the (May 3, 2020) commsupdate.com
PTA will first monitor the development of 5G networks

The Telecoms Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been exacerbated by the launch of Reliance Jio in
has proposed adding an extra digit to Indian mobile 2016, who has bought a range of ultra-low cost data
numbers to cope with surging demand for mobile tariffs and handsets to the market, attracting over
connectivity. The move would see the standard Indian 330 million subscribers and becoming India’s biggest
India mobile number increase from 10 digits to 11 “Switching telco in the process. However, with ARPU in the mobile
sector hovering around $1.50, Reliance’s competitors
from 10 to 11 digits with first digit for mobile number
as ‘9’ would give a total capacity of 10 billion numbers,” are struggling to break even. The Cellular Association
TRAI said in its recommendations to the telecom of India has written to the TRAI seeking discussions on
department. “With the current policy of allotment after the viability of introducing minimum pricing legislation
70 per cent utilization, this would suffice till India has “at the earliest”. “Given the financial pressure on
seven billion connections,” TRAI added. According the sector and the fact that ARPU and tariffs of the
to a report in The Economic Times of India, also Indian telecoms sector are the lowest in the world,
claimed that machine to machine SIM cards, as well floor pricing is imperative to ensure that the sector is
as portable internet dongles would be reallocated a sustainable, and is in a position to bear the deferred
13 digit number, to prevent over use of the net 11 digit spectrum and AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenues) dues,
numbers. India currently has around 1.2 billion active while continuing to invest in world class networks
mobile subscriptions, making it the world’s second and services,” the letter from the COAI read. Earlier
largest telecoms market place, after China. this year, Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio
(May 30, 2020) commsmea.com agreed to unilaterally kill off their very cheapest tariffs
in an attempt to raise ARPU. (May 24, 2020) The Times of India
Key players in India’s beleaguered telecoms sector
have banded together to request that the Telecoms A long delayed WhatsApp move to launch a mobile
Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) implements a payment service in India potentially faced a further
minimum pricing rule that would present operators hurdle, with the Competition Commission of India (CCI)
from offering services below a certain price. India’s reportedly probing claims the company was abusing
telecoms sector has seen its average revenue per its market position. Sources told Reuters the CCI
user (ARPU) plummet in recent years, as operators initiated an investigation following a complaint filed in
engage in a race to the bottom on price. The situation March stating WhatsApp was bundling its payments

118 MAY 2020