Page 102 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalization, will have until the end of May 2023 to reactivate their
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has revealed that more than accounts by completing the bio-capture process.
eight million unidentified SIM cards have now been (December 9, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
deactivated by the country’s telecoms operators,
Ghana following the introduction of punitive measures The government, through the Ghana Investment
intended to encourage customers to complete the
Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), has
registration process. As part of the re-registration constructed 1,003 rural telephony sites under the Rural
campaign begun in October 2021, customers who had Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project, Graphic reports.
linked a SIM to their national ID card but had failed to Presenting the 2023 Budget Statement and Government
complete the final biometric data capture stage by 30 Economic Policy to parliament, Minister of Finance Ken
November are denied access to voice, data, SMS and Ofori Atta noted the deployments had benefitted 1,353
mobile money services. Having originally set a deadline rural communities, which now have access to mobile
of 31 July for registrations, slow progress and technical voice and data services. A further 700 new sites will be
issues forced the authorities to extend this to the end deployed next year as part of the project to provide voice
of September and finally 30 November, while measures and data services to 4,000 unserved and underserved
were implemented to facilitate the process and a series rural communities, thereby facilitating social and
of penalties introduced to encourage subscribers to economic growth. The Minister also highlighted the
fully register their SIMs. MTN Ghana announced in initiative would help extend aerial fiber coverage by
late November that approximately 5.7 million SIMs on 1,300km as backhaul to rural communities. (December 6,
its network were eligible for deactivation. Customers 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The first phase of Greece’s tender process to find a internet access across the entire territory at minimum
universal service provider has ended with a single nominal download/upload speeds of 10Mbps/1Mbps,
application, from Wind Hellas. Fixed and mobile with guaranteed real-world download rates of at least
operator Wind, which is part of United Group, has offered 4Mbps. The maximum monthly price for the service is
Greece to provide universal services for a maximum annual EUR27. Alongside internet access, the provider must
also offer free unlimited local and long-distance fixed
compensation of EUR2.052 million (USD2.13 million).
Applications for the second phase of the tender process voice calls, or 1,500 minutes of talk time if connectivity
are invited on 23 November. The universal service is via a mobile network.
provider in Greece undertakes to supply broadband (November 17, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Regulatory Authority for Post and the plan forms part of the ARPT’s ambition to become
Telecommunications (L’Autoritie de Regulation des ‘the benchmark for collaborative governance and
Postes et Telecommunications, ARPT) has unveiled regulation’ by 2025, the executive noted, adding: ‘The
its new strategic development plan for the period general management, under the impetus of the new
Guinea 2023-2025, which will serve as the main benchmark authorities, wants to ensure the organization makes
and roadmap for the body’s annual planning and
a significant contribution to Guinea’s economy.’ The
performance evaluation over the next three years. new strategic plan is the latest in a series of measures
According to ARPT managing director Sekou Oumar implemented by the regulator since the ruling military
Barry, the plan is based on four pillars, namely junta assumed power in September 2021. These
governance, rules and regulation, protection of include cuts to interconnection rates and call charges,
consumers and citizens, and innovation. In addition, penalties for service failings, and moves to relaunch
there are nine strategic objectives, 17 programmes, 43 the incumbent operator Guinee Telecom (formerly
projects, a detailed action plan as well as provisions for Sotelgui). (December 19, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
governance and performance monitoring. Establishing

Starlink – the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband equipment can be purchased directly from the company’s
provider backed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX venture – has website, or obtained by an approved, authorized reseller.
received a license to operate in Haiti. The company A press release issued by investment firm Resscop &
has been registered as Starlink Haiti and is permitted Delaporte, which seemingly brokered the deal, states:
Haiti to ‘operate freely in Haiti’ using the Ku-band. Starlink ‘The strongest assets of Haiti are the people. Today,

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