Page 117 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Nepal

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has announced has stated the award will not be finalized until Ncell has paid
that Ncell, Nepal’s second largest mobile network operator its outstanding NPR21.1 billion capital gains tax bill. Originally
(MNO) in terms of subscribers, has won the auction for residual announced in December 2018, the auction was delayed by legal
spectrum in the 1800MHz band, after submitting a final bid of action brought by CG Telecom, which was not eligible to take part
NPR58 million (USD503,629). Ncell, which already has rights to under the NTA’s terms. In the event only Nepal Telecom (NTC)
2×11MHz of 1800MHz frequencies, will be allocated an additional and Ncell expressed an interest, with NTC reportedly submitting
2×9MHz spectrum from the 2 × 16 MHz available, as the NTA’s an unsuccessful bid of NPR50.01 billion in the final round of the
rules limit operators to 2×20MHz in the band. However, the NTA auction. (December 19, 2019) commsupdate.com

Oman

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Communications who was accompanied by a number of officials
National Training Fund signed a memorandum of cooperation from the ministry and the Telecommunications Regulatory
on employment and training Omani nationals. “The Authority. The current session’s agenda included meeting of
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), signed the Permanent Arab Committee for Telecommunications and
a memorandum of cooperation for training programs for Information during the period from 15-16 December. That meeting
employment with the National Training Fund.” These steps will was followed by the meeting of members of the executive office on
improve resource orientation and prepare a group of Omani the 17th and the 18th of the same month. The session’s agenda
citizens with high levels of training and skills to be prepared to also included reviewing the main achievements in regards to the
join the labor market. (December 23, 2019) timesofoman.com General Arab Postal Strategy 2018-2024, and following-up the
implementation of the Regional Development Plan for the Arab
The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Technology and Region 2017-2020. In addition, several important topics were
Communications participated in the 23rd Session of Arab discussed such as results of the meetings of the work team of the
Telecommunications and Information Council of Ministers in Permanent Arab Committee for Communications and Information,
Riyadh. This year’s session is held under the theme “An Arab the Arab Initiative for Internet Governance in the Arab Region and
ambition for a Digital Generation.” The Omani delegation was the Arab Digital Capital Initiative.
headed by Eng. Azza Al Ismaili, Minister of Technology and (December 18, 2019) timesofoman.com

Pakistan

As per the ‘Digital Pakistan Vision’, launched by Prime Minister, promulgation of necessary policy frameworks, laws and rules
the Ministry of IT and Telecom has released Digital Pakistan Policy to enable creation of a sustainable IT environment. Appropriate
in a comprehensive report. Pressing on the importance of this data protection laws, it says, will be brought forth for protection
policy, the Ministry quoted a forecast by Gartner Inc. in October of personal data and online privacy for improved transparency
2017 that Worldwide IT spending is projected to total $3.7 trillion and security of sensitive and confidential information. The
in 2018, an increase of 4.3 percent from 2017 estimated spending policy also aims to develop a framework for cloud-based
of $3.5 trillion. Fitting in this world equation, Pakistan stands tall services and its regulation which include data classification
with about 60% of its 200 million population in the 15 to 29 age mechanism, standards for access, data privacy and transparency,
group, an enormous human and knowledge capital. Pakistan has ownership and security to promote the adoption of cloud
more than 2000 IT companies and call centers and the number is services for better and agile delivery of services to end users. It
growing every year. It has more than 300,000 English-speaking IT says that cooperation be continued with Ministry of Commerce
professionals with expertise in current and emerging IT products to formulate e-Commerce framework/policy guidelines in
and technologies. More than 20,000 IT graduates and engineers consultation with relevant stakeholders in e-commerce. This
are being produced here each year. First section of the four- will include measures such as appropriate regulation, tax
section policy deals with ‘key components’. It places focus on rationalization, trade facilitation, Online Dispute Resolution

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