Page 69 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY NEWS

Effective Spectrum Management Key to an All-Inclusive Digital Economy in

Asia-Pacific Countries

publications made available by the ITU Radiocommunication
Bureau to the Administrations of Member States and the ITU
Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Members. “The Radio
Regulations updated at WRC-19 are a vital tool to promote the
development of new technologies and innovative applications and
assist nations to better respond and recover from global crisis
brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mario Maniewicz,
Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. “Asia-Pacific
is one of the most diverse regions with highly advanced digital
economies, but also several Least Developed and Small Island
Developing States that are facing specific social, economic, and
environmental vulnerabilities. ITU is committed to working with
all member states in the region to promote an all-inclusive digital
economy."
Exploring challenges and opportunities for the Region
The ITU Regional Radiocommunication Seminar 2020 for the RRS-20-Asia-Pacific concluded with a Forum entitled
Asia-Pacific Region (RRS-20-Asia-Pacific) was held virtually "WRC-19 outcomes: challenges and opportunities for the
from 19-30 October. The seminar provided participants Region." The Forum featured panel sessions about diverse
with an opportunity to learn the basic concepts of spectrum radiocommunication services and systems, including among
management at national and international levels and their others: digital TV, broadband satellites (GSO and non-GSO),
connection to the provisions of the ITU Radio Regulations. Also IMT and other wireless broadband technologies, high-altitude
discussed were future radio-frequency spectrum requirements platform stations (HAPS), Radio Local Area Networks (RLAN)/
for radiocommunication systems in the context of outcomes Wi-Fi, maritime and aeronautical systems, intelligent transport
of the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19) systems (ITS), emergency communications, 5G spectrum pricing,
held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in 2019. "Radiocommunication and the WRC-23 agenda. The main objective of the ITU Regional
services are profoundly transforming many aspects of our Radiocommunication Seminars is to assist Member States in
lives," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “The Regional spectrum management activities and the application of the ITU
Radiocommunication Seminars provide an excellent opportunity Radio Regulations (RR), with special attention to developing
for our members to learn the practical applications of the updated countries. These seminars are organized to complement the
ITU Radio Regulations to leverage the economic opportunities larger, biennial World Radiocommunication Seminars (WRS)
brought by technology." The Seminar covered the regulatory so that all ITU countries and regions have ample opportunity to
framework for both terrestrial and space services and the prepare for WRC-23, which will update the RR, the international
procedures for recording frequency assignments in the Master treaty governing the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite
International Frequency Register (MIFR). It also included basic orbital resources. The seminar drew more than 300 participants
training on software tools developed by ITU for frequency notices from over 30 countries, as well as 10 international organizations,
for those services and for technical examinations. Various tutorials and representatives of the telecommunication industry, operators,
also enabled participants to familiarize themselves with ITU international organizations, associations, and academia from the
notification procedures, as well as with the software and electronic Asia-Pacific Region.

ACM Decides KPN No Longer has SMP in Leased Lines Segment

The Netherlands’ Authority for Consumers telecoms segment (which includes leased has submitted a draft version of its Market
& Markets (ACM) has issued a draft decision lines based on Ethernet and technologies). Analysis for Wholesale High-Quality
concluding that incumbent national PSTN ACM no longer sees any reason to impose Access for consultation to parties involved
operator KPN no longer has significant regulatory obligations on KPN in this in the business telecom services market,
market power (SMP) on the market for market due to increased competition from accepting comments until 14 January
Wholesale High-Quality Access in the B2B various fiber infrastructure operators. ACM 2021.
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