Page 103 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TRAI Considers Call for Minimum Pricing

India’s telecoms regulator initiated a public the topic of tariffs, comes after the three many other sectors of the economy.
consultation to explore tariff revisions, seeking major operators raised prices earlier Thus, making sure that the telecoms
views on setting a price floor for voice and data in this month following a Supreme Court sector remains healthy and its orderly
what would be the first move by the government ruling over the definition of adjusted growth are equally important.” Given
to impose a minimum price in any industry. The gross revenue. In a statement, TRAI India’s digital ambitions, operators’
move by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of said the Cellular Operators Association desire for what they see as more
India (TRAI), which issued a consultation paper on of India asked it to set a floor price in sustainable price levels will likely see
early December. The regulator said it strong opposition from the government
had given operators the “freedom and due to concern hikes would hurt
flexibility to design their tariff offerings”, consumers. Vodafone Idea and Bharti
explaining most economists advice Airtel slammed a court decision taken
against price controls “as it leads to in October, which burdens the industry
economic inefficiencies, consumer with INR933 billion ($13.1 billion) in
harm, market distortions and reduced additional license and spectrum usage
innovation”. It noted, however, the fast fees. In early December, Vodafone
pace of technological change requires Idea chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla
huge capital investments: “The telecoms warned it would shut down if it doesn’t
sector is the infrastructure provider for get government relief from large fees.

Internet Service Providers Seek 5G License in Bangladesh

The Internet Service Providers Association use it through Wi-Fi. A member of the 5G first quarter of 2020 and the commission
Bangladesh (ISPAB) is seeking fifth- guideline formulation committee of the will allocate the licenses to mobile phone
generation license to provide low-cost commission said they are considering the operators by the fourth quarter, said a
service to users as the government proposal of the ISPAB as a priority as they senior official of the regulator and also
plans to introduce the superfast cellular are local entrepreneurs. However, the final a member of the committee. According
network technology within two years. decision will come from the government. to the draft guideline, the BTRC plans to
The association has sent a letter to Hakim said 5G would require huge roll out 5G service by 2021 and cover the
the Bangladesh Telecommunication investment and one or two ISPs would not entire country (up to upazila level, growth
Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and be able to make the investment single- centers and railway stations) by 2026.The
asked it to consider their application as handedly. Members of the ISPAB will form BTRC team is considering to introduce 5G
a special case and put an option in the a consortium and plan to run the business in 2.6 and 3.5 Gigahertz band spectrums.
licensing guideline for them. “We have across the country. “If we get the license, In July last year, the government tested
shared our proposals with the guideline our 5G business will be viable,” Hakim said. 5G, becoming the first country to do
formulation committee of the commission If the association is awarded the license, so in South Asia. Haque said in the 5G
and requested it to ensure a place for us,” the mass people will get the service easily era, machines would communicate with
MA Hakim, president of the ISPAB, told The and at lower cost. They will also ensure machines and people would be behind
Daily Star on Wednesday. 5G is the fifth- the redundancy to critical services and them. The use of artificial intelligence (AI)
generation of mobile internet connectivity. infrastructures as well, according to the has already started in Bangladesh and
It promises much faster data download association’s letter. According to Hakim, 5G will help run AI, Internet of Things and
and upload speeds, wider coverage and the government should fix a special robotics easily to boost productivity. The
more stable connections. The association spectrum band at a cheaper price in order government introduced 4G in 2018 and 3G
also plans to establish a few hundred to offer low-cost services. “If we get the in 2013. Currently, there are about six crore
base stations within their existing network license, it will create huge business scope 3G users and about two and half crore 4G
topology. Internet service providers have for mobile phone operators and there will users in the country. The ISPAB has applied
huge opportunity to play in this industry not be any conflict with them,” Hakim for a nationwide telecommunication
as 5G is designed to create special benefit said. BTRC Chairman Md. Jahurul Haque transmission network license to provide
to businesses and industries, Hakim said if the technical evaluation committee fiber optic cable connection to telecom
said. According to the ISPAB’s plan, they thinks that ISPABs can run the service operators. The BTRC has assessed the
wouldn’t seek the mobility; rather they will efficiently, the commission would have proposal.
offer the service as a fixed player through no problem in awarding the license to
broadband connectivity and users also can them. The guideline will be ready by the

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