Page 125 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The government has confirmed that its new Law fixed and mobile), thus sharing business risk. An
on Electronic Communications entered force on 1 operator with significant market power (SMP) will
December 2021. The regulatory overhaul has seen be able to co-invest in the construction of new
the previous document, Law No. IX-2135, amended to networks under clear and transparent conditions.
Lithuania transpose the European Electronic Communications • In order to ensure the consistency of the regulatory
environment and reduce the administrative burden,
Code into Lithuanian national law. The Communications
Regulatory Authority (Rysiu Reguliavimo Tarnyba, RRT) the RRT will be required to conduct market research
summarizes the key changes as follows: every five years, instead of three as before.
• The broader definition of an ‘electronic • The scope of universal electronic communications
communications service’ has been tweaked and services has been revised and the obligation to
is now broken down as follows: internet access provide telephone services via payphones will be
services; interpersonal communication services; and abolished, but the obligation to provide affordable
services consisting mainly of signal transmission. universal e-communications services to certain
• There have been changes to radio spectrum groups of consumers will be introduced.
management, by way of an EU-wide harmonization • Finally, the law will bring favorable changes to
of the allocation and use of spectrum. There is also a ensure the protection of consumer interests. The
longer period of validity (20 years) for authorizations adoption of legislation implementing this law
to use EU-wide harmonized spectrum. will make it simpler and easier to change service
• In terms of access to ultra-high bandwidth networks, provider for consumers using both interpersonal
operators will be encouraged to co-invest in high- communications and internet access services.
bandwidth public communications networks (both (December 1, 2021) commsupdate.com

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia of competition in the supply of regulated facilities and
Commission (MCMC) has published determinations services’. In terms of the specific focus areas, those
regarding reallocating spectrum in the 850MHz and included: ensuring access to Digital Nasional Berhad’s
2300MHz bands. With regards to the lower band, (DNB’s) monopoly 5G single wholesale network;
Malaysia the regulator has confirmed that a 2×10MHz block enhancement of ‘High Speed Broadband’ (‘HSBB’)
network regulation; ensuring and improving access
being
is
(824MHz-834MHz/869MHz-879MHz)
reallocated to Telekom Malaysia for a five-year to passive infrastructure; continuing development
period. Meanwhile, a total of four companies have of regulation of transmission services; and fostering
been reallocated unpaired 30MHz blocks of spectrum investment in access network infrastructure. The
in the 2300MHz band, again for a five-year period, MCMC’s newly published Commission Determination
namely: Asiaspace Broadband (2300MHz-2330MHz, on Access List (Determination No. 6 of 2021) will come
for Peninsular Malaysia only); SEA Telco Engineering into operation on 15 December 2021. A total of 20
Services (2300MHz-2330MHz, for Sabah and Sarawak services are now included in the list, those being: fixed
only); YTL Communications (2330MHz-2360MHz); network origination; fixed network termination; mobile
and Webe Digital (2360MHz-2390MHz). network origination; mobile network termination;
(December 21, 2021) commsupdate.com interconnect link; wholesale local leased circuit;
infrastructure sharing; domestic connectivity to
An updated determination relating to the list of telecoms international services; network co-location; digital
services available to licensees that are subject to price terrestrial broadcasting multiplexing; Layer 2 High
regulation – known as the Access List – has been Speed Broadband (HSBB) network; trunk transmission;
published by the Malaysian Communications and duct and manhole access; Layer 3 HSBB network; end-
Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Having previously to-end transmission; MVNO access; domestic inter-
launched a public inquiry on the review of the Access operator roaming service; 5G Standalone (SA) access;
List in August 2021, the regulator at that date set out 4G Evolved Packet Core with 5G RAN access; and IP
its preliminary views on the facilities and services to transit service. Among the notable removals from the
be included, removed or amended in list. As part of its previous Access List Determination (ALD), which was
review the MCMC said it had formulated focus areas for made in 2015, are: full access; line sharing; bitstream
the inquiry, noting that ‘the common theme underlying with network; bitstream without network; sub-loop;
all areas is the need to continuously refine the Access digital subscriber line resale; and wholesale line rental.
List and its implementation, in order to reflect the state (December 3, 2021) commsupdate.com

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