Page 129 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

• one block of 2×5MHz in the 800MHz band (791MHz- (3400MHz-3490MHz) band, expiry 31 December
796MHz/832MHz-837MHz), valid between 1 2025, EUR700,000 per block.
January 2022 and 5 April 2029 and with a starting RCS&RDS, owned by Romania-based Digi
price of EUR22 million Communications, is the country’s fourth largest mobile
• eight lots of 2×5MHz in the 2600MHz band network operator by subscriptions, whereas Invite
(2530MHz-2570MHz/2650MHz-2690MHz), valid Systems’ website indicates the company owns and
until 5 April 2029, EUR4.3 million per paired block operates two Tier 3 data centers in Bucharest and
• one block of 15MHz TDD in the 2600MHz band Ploesti, and provides voice, VPN, VPBX, fibre-optic,
(2600MHz-2615MHz), expiry 5 April 2029, EUR3.5 wireless and LoRa WAN services.
million per block (November 19, 2021) commsupdate.com
• 18 lots of 5MHz TDD blocks in the 3.5GHz

The State Commission for Radio Frequencies (SCRF) Tele2 (and expected to include MTS) will conduct
has decided to expand the range of frequencies research in this range under two-year test spectrum
earmarked for deployment of 5G networks in large allocations, with the first results of testing scheduled
cities, by allocating spectrum within the 4.4GHz- to be presented in 2022. Earlier, the SCRF allocated the
Russia 4.8GHz band for testing. The New Digital Solutions joint 4.8GHz-4.99GHz and 24.25GHz-29.5GHz bands for 5G
venture formed by MegaFon, Beeline and Rostelecom/
testing. (December 3, 2021) ComNews

The government has secured funding of USD100 Acceleration Project. Rolande Pryce, the World Bank’s
million from the World Bank to improve access to Country Director for Rwanda, said: ‘Expanding digital
broadband and digital services. A co-financing access and adoption, improving digital public service
agreement has been set up by the World Bank’s delivery and promoting digital innovation are essential
International Development Association (IDA) and the for Rwanda’s digital transformation, which in turn
Rwanda Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The funds can contribute to a strong post-COVID-19 recovery.’
will be managed by the government-run Rwanda Digital (December 3, 2021) Ecofin

Singtel and an M1-StarHub consortium boosted their on 3.5GHz spectrum. Both are required to achieve 50
5G spectrum holdings in a 2.1GHz auction in which per cent coverage by end-2022 and fully by end-2025.
TPG Telecom won 10MHz, positioning it to start The 2.1GHz spectrum will be allocated at the beginning
deploying a nationwide standalone (SA) network. TPG of 2022. Singapore’s Infocomm Media Authority stated
Singapore Telecom has two years to reach 50 per cent coverage the latest auction is a “milestone in Singapore’s 5G
with an SA 5G network and five years for nationwide. It
journey to have a world-class, secure and resilient
holds spectrum in the 900MHz and 2.3GHz bands won infrastructure”. Anna Yip, Singtel Consumer CEO,
as part of its market entry in 2016. Singtel and the M1- cited benefits to the operator’s ability to “support the
StarHub consortium were each allocated 25MHz in the nation’s smart city ambitions” in a brief statement.
2.1GHz band, which they will use to increase coverage StarHub-M1 paid SGD52.5 million ($38.3 million) to
and capacity of their existing SA 5G networks deployed secure five 5MHZ lots. (November 29, 2021) mobileworldlive.com

The Independent Communications Authority of South November 15, respectively. Icasa has considered the
Africa (Icasa) has issued the final Invitation to Apply issues raised by stakeholders in their challenge to
(ITA) for the licensing process for the International the previous licensing processes, particularly the
Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum. Interested 2020 ITA, as well as the representations received to
South stakeholders are required to submit their applications the first and second IMs. “The publication of the first
Africa by January 31, 2022, with the announcements of and second IM was done to ensure that stakeholders
qualifying bidders and start of the actual auction phase
can have a clearer preview of the intended licensing
scheduled for February 21 and March 8 respectively. process and associated licensing conditions and be
This followed a more than three-month consultation afforded the opportunity to make representations to
process and the publication of the first and second the authority on what the final licensing process and
Information Memorandum (IM) on October 1 and conditions should entail. The authority is grateful for

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