Page 127 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Jegunovce, Jelino, Brvenica, Bogovinje, Mavrovo and for participation in the planned auction for 5G
Rostushe). The fixed authorizations will be valid for spectrum. The EoI are as follows: Neotel (blocks В41,
six years. As previously reported by TeleGeography’s В44, В45 and В46), Bitstream Mobile (А1 and В1), А1
CommsUpdate, in July 2021 the AEK received four Macedonia (А2, А3 and В3) and Makedonski Telekom:
expressions of interest (EoI) from telecoms operators (В2, А2 and/or А3). (November 30, 2021) commsupdate.com

Norwegian communications regulator the regulator stating that its updated overview is based
National Communications Authority (Nasjonal on a coverage survey for 2021, it noted that it has
kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) has published an removed from the list properties that are expected
updated list of buildings where broadband services to be covered by commercial network rollout plans.
Norway should be offered as part of voluntary coverage Having also reportedly considered information from
obligation linked to its recent auction of 5G-suitable
county municipalities about which buildings have
spectrum. As previously reported by CommsUpdate, received broadband support in recent years, Nkom has
winning bidders in Nkom’s sale of 2.6GHz and 3.6GHz confirmed that around 48,000 premises are included
frequencies – which closed last month – were given in its updated overview. Nkom did, however, note that
the option of accepting a voluntary commitment to as of October 2021 the updated development overview
provide broadband services with down/uplink speeds lacks information on where broadband support has
of 100Mbps/10Mbps in underserved/unserved been provided in Trondelag, and said it aims to update
rural areas. Doing so discounted the final price of the overview as soon as this information is received.
the spectrum won by any company that accepted Looking further ahead, the regulator has confirmed
this voluntary obligation. Now, Nkom has published that it plans to update the overview again in December
an updated list of the residential and commercial 2022, while further reviews are scheduled for December
premises where such services should be offered as 2023 and December 2024.
part of the voluntary coverage obligation. With the (November 2, 2021) commsupdate.com

The National Public Services Authority (Autoridad holding company established by Millicom after its
Nacional de los Servicios Publicos, ASEP) has granted EUR573.0 million (USD650.1 million) takeover of
mobile market leader Tigo Panama 100,000 additional Movistar. As of 30 September 2021, Tigo accounted for
numbers in the 619-XXXXX range. The numbers, a total of 2.208 million mobile subscriptions, up from
Panama which have been designated for Cellular Mobile 1.838 million one year earlier.
Telephone Service use, have been issued to Grupo de
(December 1, 2021) commsupdate.com
Comunicaciones Digitales, which is the Panamanian

The Office of Electronic Communications (Urzad The government now expects to run its auction of
Komunikacji Elektronicznej, UKE) in Poland has 5G-suitable 3.5GHz spectrum in 2022. Authorities
announced plans to reallocate spectrum in the had hoped to allocate licenses back in the first half
2100MHz band in the second quarter of next year. The of 2020 but the process stalled, initially due to the
Poland new licenses will be valid for 15 years and allocations COVID-19 outbreak. More delays came when the
will increase from 2×14.8MHz to 2×15MHz following
government decided to postpone the auction until after
the removal of guard bands. The current 2100MHz it had made amendments to the country’s Electronic
concessions held by Poland’s four mobile network Communication Law and the Act on the National
operators (MNOs) expire at the end of 2022. A report Cybersecurity System (KSC). Telecoms regulator
from Telko.in says that UKE is expecting to raise almost the Office of Electronic Communications (Urzad
PLN1.9 billion (USD454 million) from the renewals, Komunikacji Elektronicznej, UKE) notes that 320MHz
with T-Mobile paying PLN459.9 million and the other of frequencies will eventually be made available in the
three MNOs paying PLN475.6 million. The 2100MHz 3480MHz-3800MHz range. Spectrum in the 700MHz
band was originally awarded in Poland to support band is also due to be sold off once it is freed by digital
3G services, but is now being migrated for use in 5G terrestrial television (DTT) providers.
networks. (December 10, 2021) commsupdate.com (December 3, 2021) commsupdate.com

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