Page 78 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

the authority's efforts and the many vital organizational initiatives locate it internationally certified On four basic axes for evaluation
and projects that we have adopted during the past year The represented in the powers and tasks assigned to the regulator, the
results of the global regulatory survey issued by the International nature of the services that are organized, in addition to managing
Telecommunication Union for the year 2019, which was published the resources of the communications and information technology
at the end of September 2020, showed the progress of the sector and finally the framework used to regulate the competition,
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s classification to an where the tracking tool sets different weights / marks for each
advanced level referred to in the countries classified within the of those axes, all of which constitute 100%. The Chairman of the
fourth generation of regulation, at a rate of 91% to be the first in Board of Commissioners of the Telecommunications Regulatory
the Arab world alongside the Kingdom Saudi Arabia is followed by Authority, Dr. Eng. Ghazi Jabour, said that this progress is due
Morocco, Bahrain and Oman. The International Telecommunication to many vital organizational initiatives and projects that the
Union relies in its classification of the ranking of regulatory bodies Authority has adopted during the past year, which contributed to
globally on the scientific and analytical methodology followed its progress in this classification than it was during the year 2018,
through the Regulatory Tracking Tool or what is known as the and also enabled it to move from the third generation to the fourth
ICT Regulatory Tracker, which collects and analyzes information generation after achieving the points of the optimal organizational
related to the regulatory bodies annually and in cooperation environment.
with the member states of the Union as it works to analyze and (November 11, 2020) trc.gov.jo

Lebanon

Kuwait-based Zain Group handed over the management of operators – Touch (MIC 2) or Alfa (MIC 1). The statement said
Lebanese mobile operator Touch to a new management and a strategy to re-enter the Lebanese mobile sector would be on
board, appointed by Lebanon’s telecoms Ministry, on 30 October the condition that a clear business plan was developed within
2020. A company statement to Boursa Kuwait, reported by Zawya, an agreement with the ministry. Zain also confirmed that there
confirmed the move, while adding that Zain would reapply, if was no material or financial impact for the group due to the
permitted, to manage one of Lebanon’s two state-owned mobile management exit. (November 2, 2020) commsupdate.com

Nepal

Around 22.8 million of the population across the country 182,585 4G users. According to NTA, there are over 11 million
now have internet access. Among the total users, 56 percent 3G users in the country. The MIS report has also mentioned that
of internet users are using mobile data, according to Nepal Nepal Telecom has a total of 11.4 million subscribers, while Ncell
Telecommunications Authority (NTA). As per the Management has 6.5 million users. The report has further revealed that even
Information System (MIS) report of NTA, there are a large number after four years of launch of 4G service in the country, the growth
of 4G and fixed broadband users in the country. Around 5.7 million of 4G users has not been as expected. The mobile networking
users are using fixed broadband for internet. Of them, 918,000 service providers are still not being able to give their services
are using ADSL, while the remaining 4.8 million users are using in most of the remote areas in the country. Recently, internet
private sector’s cable or fiber-to-thehome internet services. consumption has also increased due to COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the MIS report, fixed broadband has 19 per cent In the meantime, Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson for NTA, said
share in Nepali internet market, while wireless broadband has that the aforementioned internet penetration rate may not be very
76 per cent market share. Meanwhile, mobile broadband has the accurate as a single person may be using more than one SIM.
highest market share in the country. A total of 56 per cent users Similarly, towards the fixed and wireless broadband users, single
are using mobile data in the country. Among mobile networking fixed internet connection allows numerous users to connect to
service providers, around 1.6 million users are of Nepal Telecom, the internet at the same time.
while 3.7 million users are using Ncell. Meanwhile, Smartcell has (November 22, 2020) thehimalayantimes.com

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