Page 121 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

telephony, internet and data center companies, force at a date to be determined by Royal Decree.
citing national security interests. Once approved (May 12, 2020) commsupdate.com
by the Senate, the amendments will enter into

New Zealand, after postponing a 5G spectrum auction, Zealand did not apply to participate in the auction, so
announced the direct allocation of airwaves in the wasn’t allocated spectrum. Dense Air is a provider
3.5GHz band, with Spark and 2degrees each to be of small cell services with spectrum assets in New
offered the rights to 60MHz and Dense Air 40MHz. Zealand. In April it loaned Spark its 2.6GHz spectrum
New Zealand The government put the sale of an unused portion of for three months. (May 12, 2020) mobileworldlive.com
3.5GHz band on ice last week due to the COVID-19
(coronavirus) pandemic. Prices of the allocations were New Zealand postponed an auction of 5G spectrum
not disclosed, but the reserve price had previously due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, pushing
been set at NZD250,000 ($152,279) per 10MHz lot. In a back the allocation of short-term rights to an unused
statement, Spark CEO Jolie Hodson said the allocation portion of the 3.5GHz band, with no new date set. In
will enable significant investment in 5G infrastructure a statement, Radio Spectrum Management (RSM), a
across the country over the coming year, noting business unit of the Ministry of Business, Innovation
securing the spectrum was critical for the rollout of and Employment, said the decision was taken after
a full suite of services and will enable the operator to consulting with the registered bidders, adding updates
swiftly proceed. She said it plans to switch on 5G sites will be given when decisions are made. In December
in a number of major centers and regions across the 2019, the government agreed to free up additional 5G
North and South islands. “To maintain this momentum, spectrum, heeding operators’ calls for the early release
we are keen to work with government to accelerate the of 160MHz in the 3.5GHz band. In early January, RSM
timeline for the longer-term spectrum auction, which announced the reserve price for the 5G spectrum
is currently scheduled for November 2022,” she added. auction. Operator Spark in September 2019 turned
Hodson said the new spectrum will play a critical role on 5G service in Alexandra for a limited number of
in the country’s response to COVID-19, noting “it has enterprise and consumer customers, expanding it in
never been more important to improve our productivity November to five additional South Island towns and
as a country and ensure we are well positioned to communities, using the 2.6GHz band. A month later,
adapt to new ways of working”. Spark turned on 5G technology director Mark Beder said it would prefer
service in Alexandra for a limited number of enterprise to use 3.5GHz spectrum as it believes it will be the
and consumer customers in September 2019, later primary spectrum band for mass deployment of 5G.
expanding to five additional South Island towns and Vodafone New Zealand switched 5G on in parts of
communities, using the 2.6GHz band. The recent Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown
sale was planned after the government agreed to free on the 3.5GHz band in December 2019, offering existing
up additional 5G spectrum, after operators called for customers the faster service at no additional cost.
early access to 160MHz in the 3.5GHz band. Vodafone (May 4, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has (NCC) has revealed. The new additions to the country’s
revealed it is reviewing its ‘Spectrum Trading Guide- internet users’ database brought the total mobile
lines, 2018’, in line with recommendations made in the internet subscription to 131.6 million. While data
new National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, which was subscriptions had been on a steady increase in the
Nigeria published in March. Local newspaper The Nation cites last one year as the telcos aggressively push for the
a statement from NCC Public Affairs Director Henry deployment of 4G infrastructure, the current COVID-19
Nkamadu as saying that the regulator’s board has de- outbreak has forced many Nigerians to depend
cided to suspend the current guidelines until they can heavily on the internet for several needs. Hence, the
be updated to provide for the optimal use of spectrum. mobile internet subscription figure is anticipated to
The move is aimed at ensuring that unutilized spec- skyrocket in the coming months. According to NCC’s
trum can be fairly traded between operators to facili- data, MTN Nigeria, which is the largest network
tate the rollout of broadband infrastructure across the operator by subscriber number, added 960,814 new
country by industry players. (May 30, 2020) commsupdate.com internet customers in the month. The telco, which
had the largest subscriber both for voice and internet,
Mobile network operators in the country added a total had a total of 56.4 million internet customers as of
of 3.3 million internet customers in February, data February this year. Airtel Nigeria came second in
released by the Nigerian Communications Commission terms of internet customers as it added 670, 474 new

121 MAY 2020