Page 111 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

regulator’s website, it has so far awarded official mobile in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz,
spectrum licenses to Hormuud Telecom (3 November), 2300MHz, 2600MHz and 3.5GHz bands, although
Golis Telecommunications (23 November) and Telesom the operator did not state how much it paid for the
(23 November). Developing Telecoms cites a statement frequencies.
from Hormuud as saying that it was allocated spectrum (November 30, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) has announced the cellcos had fallen far short of the requirements in
it is cancelling the spectrum licenses in the 28GHz band the 28GHz band. According to the MSIT, with both KT
which had previously been awarded to KT Corp and LG and LG Uplus having scored fewer than 30 points in its
Uplus, while also revealing it is shortening the duration inspection, it was cancelling their respective spectrum
South Korea of SK Telecom’s concession for frequencies in the same allocations in line with the terms outlined in the initial
band. With 28GHz spectrum having been secured by all spectrum award announcement. Meanwhile, SKT
three players at auction back in 2018 – alongside 3.5GHz has been given a temporary reprieve after narrowly
spectrum allocations – all concessions contained a scoring above a 30-point threshold – it scored 30.5
condition requiring that the operators construct at least points, compared to 28.9 and 27.3 for LG Uplus and KT,
22,500 base stations using the latter band and 15,000 respectively. As a result, SKT’s concession will remain
using the former band within three years. However, the valid until 31 May 2023, but should it fail to have achieve
MSIT has now said that following an inspection of the the mandated rollout target for 28GHz base stations by
trio’s network it has determined that, although the target that date, the MSIT has confirmed its license will also be
for construction in the 3.5GHz band had been achieved, cancelled. (November 17, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital 20-year period. ‘The concessions are in accordance
Transformation (Ministerio de Asuntos Economicos y with the technical specifications established by the
Transformacion Digital) has confirmed that the auction European Commission, in relation to the harmonization
of 26GHz band spectrum suitable for 5G services will of the 24.25GHz-27.5GHz frequency band for terrestrial
Spain commence on 21 December 2022, with four telecoms systems capable of providing wireless broadband
electronic communications services in the Union,’ the
operators pre-selected to bid. The four companies –
Telefonica Espana (Movistar), Vodafone Spain, Orange Ministry said. (December 21, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
Espana and Valladolid-based Globe Operator Telecom
SI – will bid for the national concessions on offer which The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital
each have a reserve of EUR4 million (USD4.24 million). Transformation, acting via the Secretary of State for
In a press release, the Ministry noted that the tender Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, has
for 26GHz band frequencies forms a cornerstone of established bidding conditions ahead of its planned
the country’s recovery plan (‘Plan de Recuperacion’) auction of 5G-suitable 26GHz spectrum. The auction
it committed to in H2 2022 to foster the development will comprise twelve national 200MHz concessions in
of 5G technology. The first round of bidding will begin the 25.10GHz-27.50GHz range, alongside 38 regional
on 21 December, once the application submission and concessions in the 24.70GHz-25.10GHz range. The
evaluation period has ended (on 20 December), and will starting price for each national concession has been
see a total of 2,400MHz, divided into 200MHz blocks, up set at EUR4 million (USD4 million), while the prices
for sale. The concessions will be distributed in twelve of regional concessions will be proportional to the
national concessions in the 25.10GHz-27.50GHz band, population of the autonomous community or city under
along with 38 regional concessions in the 24.70GHz- consideration. All licenses will have a duration of 20
25.10GHz band (two blocks of 200MHz in each of the years, extendable for an additional 20-year period.
autonomous communities and cities). All licenses will (November 11, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
have a duration of 20 years, extendable for an additional

The Post and Telecom Agency (Post & Telestyrelsen, extend their licenses to the full bandwidth, subject to
PTS) in Sweden is inviting applications for spectrum in availability. (December 14, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
the 3.7GHz band (3720MHz-3800MHz) from 1 January.
The frequencies will be available on a regional basis The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (Post &
Sweden to support industrial 5G and IoT services. Existing Telestyrelsen, PTS) has distributed its broadband
support for 2022, with SEK1.245 billion (USD118
licensees in the 3760MHz-3800MHz range can apply to
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