Page 115 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Iran

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said the country’s National shutdown. The block had come in response to protests over a
Information Network (NIN) will be expanded to reduce the need sharp rise in fuel prices, which spread to more than 100 towns
for connections to the conventional World Wide Web. Radio Farda and cities last weekend. Almost all fixed and mobile internet
quoted Rouhani as saying that ‘people will not need foreign access was then restricted, in a move designed to stop protestors
[networks] to meet their needs’. The state-run national intranet sharing videos to garner further support and limit the spread
service provides censored content in an effort to dissuade of reports on the unrest. The semi-official news agency Fars
Iranian’s from accessing foreign websites. The government came said that internet access was being restored in Hormozgan,
under fire both domestically and internationally for cutting off Kermanshah, Arak, Mashhad, Qom, Tabriz, Hamadan and Bushehr
internet access during a recent series of violent protests. provinces, and parts of Tehran. International internet observatory
(December 11, 2019) commsupdate.com Netblocks said fixed internet services had been restored to around
10% of the country by late Thursday morning, but mobile internet
Iran’s ICT sector will become less dependent on imports connections were still not working. Internet providers in Iran
and more self-reliant by 2021, thanks to the expansion of include state-backed Telecommunication Company of Iran (TCI)
domestic production units. Industries Minister Reza Rahmani and MTN Irancell, which 49% is owned by South Africa’s MTN
added that within two years, infrastructure for information and Group, with the remainder held by Iran Electronic Development
communication technology will mostly be localized, curbing an Company (IEDC), which itself has links to the Ministry of Defence.
annual capital flight of over USD 10 billion. Rahmani said the (November 22, 2019) telegeography.com
import of more than 1,500 communication products has been
stopped over the past several years, as they can be produced by Iran’s state-backed utility company Tavanir is planning to deploy
local manufacturers using domestic equipment and technology in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology which will be offered on a
line with strengthening domestic manufacturers and increasing wholesale basis to ISPs. A report from Payvand says that Tavanir
the share of Iran-made products in the field. He said the role of has already selected a contractor to carry out the deployment,
locally made devices in the field is expected to expand, making which is being undertaken alongside an upgrade of its electricity
the ICT sector independent of foreign sources. distribution and metering systems. A spokesperson for the utility
(December 2, 2019) IRIB News firm said it expects to install 30,000km of fiber-optic infrastructure
across Iran. Tavanir already leases capacity on its fiber backbone
A report from Reuters says that the Iranian government finally network to telcos.
began restoring internet access in the country after a five-day (November 11, 2019) IRNA

Jordan

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRC) signed a accommodating such technologies and services. Dr. Al-Jabbour
public telecommunications license for SMT Solution after the added that by signing this license, the company will establish the
TRA Board of Commissioners decided last month to approve necessary partnerships with the electricity companies in order to
granting the company the individual license and request the connect the Internet through the electricity networks to reach the
company to implement all related obligations and technical final beneficiary, as these partnerships will provide the delivery
requirements. The agreement was signed by Chairman of the of Internet services at the lowest cost, time and effort through
Commission’s Board of Commissioners Dr. Ghazi Al-Jabbour networks and power lines, which provides Internet access to
and CEO of SMT Solution Sameh Al-Tamimi in the presence of remote areas at high speeds using the infrastructure of electricity
members of the Commission’s Commissioners, directors of the networks alone, competing with the traditional solutions currently
Commission’s departments, officials of electricity companies available and at low financial costs, where Jordan aspires to
operating in Jordan and a number of stakeholders in the company be at the forefront of countries that adopt this technology. For
and representatives of various media. During the signing his part, CEO of SMT Solution Sameh Al-Tamimi said that the
ceremony, Dr. Al-Jabbour pointed out the importance of granting company is a telecommunications company to provide the
this individual license, which will constitute a qualitative addition Internet with a pioneering idea through electricity networks and
in the provision of telecommunication services through the works with a special technology and a unique mechanism for
participation of the private sector among them in order to provide the purposes of providing Internet service to all beneficiaries,
high-quality services and advanced technologies. In the creation where the subscriber will use electrical outlets to connect to the
of appropriate regulatory conditions and environment capable of network and benefit from high speed Internet services , adding

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