Page 95 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Commission Recommends Scrapping Mobile Tax

A parliamentary commission in the the resource of which are not trace either 2G devices and USD7 for 3G and above.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has in the general budget or in the special Devices that are not registered risk being
recommended that the government scrap accounts.’ As noted by TeleGeography’s blocked by the watchdog. At the outset
the controversial mobile phone tax that GlobalComms Database, the tax – known the government faced criticism for its lack
was introduced last year, on the basis as the Register of Mobile Devices (Registre of transparency with regards to the RAM,
that it has not been able to trace the des Appareils Mobiles, RAM) – requires including its plans for the funds collected
funds raised so far, Reuters writes, citing customers to register the International by the levy and award of the contract for
a government report. According to the Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number establishing the RAM collection system.
report, the commission recommended that of their device with the regulator, for which
the state ‘put a definitive end to the levy … they are charged an annual fee of USD1 for

UK’s Ofcom to Expand Monitoring of BT’s Openreach

Ofcom said it will expand its future Openreach continues to operate in a way to its underground ducts and telegraph
monitoring of BT Group PLC’s Openreach that is strategically independent from poles. It will therefore expand its future
subsidiary to include areas relating to BT. Earlier this year, Ofcom set out new monitoring of Openreach and encouraged
its full-fiber regulatory framework. The regulations for the wholesale telecoms companies to alert it to any competition
regulator has been providing annual markets as part of plans to bring faster, concerns that risk undermining the
monitoring reports on Openreach’s more reliable broadband to people across development of competing full-fiber
progress towards becoming more the UK. The regulator said Openreach networks. It said it had already been
independent since BT agreed to make has an important role to play in ensuring alerted to some issues and told Openreach
Openreach a legally separate company that competition operates effectively, for to engage with its customers on these
in 2018. In a statement, Ofcom said example by allowing other builders access areas of concern.

HK Creates Spectrum License for Private Services

Hong Kong’s Communications Authority 1 square km and prohibiting third parties meet their own operational needs”. The
(CA) called for organizations to apply from offering services using it. The agency annual cost includes a fixed license fee of
for a newly-created localized wireless noted the permit “is subject to more light- HKD10,000 ($1,282) and a variable charge
broadband service (LWBS) license to handed regulation and a lower license fee”. based on the number of radio base stations
establish related communications A holder will be assigned up to 400MHz of installed. Licenses are valid for five years
systems for private use. In a statement, spectrum in the 26GHz and 28GHz bands, and can be extended by the same. Hong
a CA representative explained the license which will be shared on a geographical Kong created the first LWBS private license
has a restricted scope of operation basis. It will “enable individual entities” in 2019.
compared with the existing LWB permit, across various sectors to “adopt 5G or
by limiting the network coverage area to other advanced wireless technologies to

USTDA Awards Grant to PLDT-Smart to Further 5G Deployment

The US Embassy in the Philippines has services from Cisco Systems. ‘This grant this project, which will strengthen digital
revealed that the US Trade and Development demonstrates USTDA’s commitment to connectivity and bring faster, higher quality,
Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant to PLDT supporting cutting-edge information and and more affordable digital services to
Inc.’s mobile arm Smart Communications communications technology infrastructure the people of the Philippines.’ The grant
for training to advance the cellco’s plan to in the Philippines, while promoting reportedly builds on previous USTDA
expand 5G services to 96% of the Filipino innovative solutions from U.S. companies,’ assistance to advance PLDT-Smart’s
population. The press release noted said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally efforts to modernize the company’s
that USTDA made the award to support (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. ‘We are national fiber-optic network and prepare
Smart’s investment in equipment and proud to partner with Smart and Cisco on the Philippines for the transition to 5G.

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