Page 126 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

investments to focus on increasing capacity of their 4G claims be developing its own 5G gear, is partnering with
networks, but added the government could pressure Ericsson and Nokia, Mobifone is working with Samsung
the state-owned companies to accelerate next- and Vinaphone is using Nokia gear. Conglomerate
generation deployments. To cope with rising usage Vingroup signed a deal with Fujitsu and Qualcomm
during a lockdown, Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone in June 2019 to manufacture 5G smartphones in the
introduced larger mobile data allocations. While the country. The group started making 4G handsets in
government hasn’t assigned 5G spectrum or licenses, December 2018, after acquiring a majority stake in
Fitch Solutions noted it could convert the trial licenses. Spain-based device maker BQ. Fitch Solutions believes
Viettel, which received its trial license in January 2019, the impact of 5G deployments will be greatest in the
demonstrated the first 5G connection in Vietnam in enterprise segment, particularly in the manufacturing
May 2019. In March, Mobifone said it completed tests sector, with government initiatives supporting industry
on a pilot 5G network in four cities and was prepared to uptake. (May 15, 2020) mobileworldlive.com
launch commercial service. Market leader Viettel, which

Dark Fiber Africa (DFA) has become the first company providers. DFA Group CEO Thinus Mulder commented:
in ten years to be awarded a new telecoms operating ‘From the beginning, we have favored a measured
concession in Zimbabwe. The firm has been granted approach in our expansion to nations outside of South
an Internet Access Provider Class B license by the Africa. We believe in the potential of Zimbabwe’s
Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority telecommunications industry, and therefore, we have
Zambia of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). The firm is looking to deploy identified it as a good place to invest in.’
a nationwide fiber backbone network which will be (May 6, 2020) ITWebAfrica
used to provide capacity to third-party access service

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126 MAY 2020