Page 83 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY ACTIVITIES BEYOND

THE SAMENA REGION

Companies offering fixed broadband services will be announced that the government has begun the
required to publish their customer service commitments process of allocating ‘essential spectrum in the
and details of their associated performance under 850MHz and 900MHz bands to support carriers to
new industry rules that have been proposed by the deploy more efficient 4G [and later 5G] mobile services
Australia Australian Communications and Media Authority across Australia’. In a press release regarding the
(ACMA). Currently there are no requirements for telcos matter, the DITRDC claimed that the bands in question
to publish their customer service commitments and are not currently well optimized, and suggested
the remedies they will provide if commitments are not that a reallocation of frequencies will allow the
met, such as rebates or backup modems to maintain Australian Communications and Media Authority
connectivity. With regards to the authority’s plan to (ACMA) to reconfigure the bands for 4G and 5G
change this, ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin suggested mobile services. As such, communications minister
the proposals would help drive improvements in Paul Fletcher has issued a spectrum reallocation
customer service, saying: ‘These new rules will declaration – ‘The Radiocommunications (Spectrum
require telcos offering fixed broadband services to Reallocation—850/900 MHz Band) Declaration 2020’ –
be transparent about their service commitments and which will allow for the reallocation of 20MHz of new
remedies they are providing their customers, and report spectrum for mobile broadband services in the 850MHz
on their performance against these.’ Meanwhile, it has expansion band, as well as 50MHz in the 900MHz band,
been noted that as per the proposals operators will a band that carriers currently use for 3G and 4G. These
be required to put in place arrangements so that their new frequencies are expected to be made available via
customers benefit from the new rebate scheme put in auction in the second half of 2021. With the Australian
place by NBN Co on wholesale service performance. authorities also planning to allocate high band (26GHz)
Under new arrangements, NBN Co will provide rebates 5G spectrum in April next year, Mr. Fletcher said the
to retail telcos for missed wholesale service levels, government expects 2021 to be the ‘Year of 5G’, with
such as missed appointments, and the ACMA’s new the minister noting: ‘Low band spectrum can carry the
rules will require that those rebates be passed on to 5G mobile signal longer distances, and is best for wide
affected customers, ‘in monetary form or in kind’. With coverage indoors and outside. The mid band spectrum
a consultation on the ACMA’s plans open for feedback provides broad coverage and fast speeds and the high
until 9 December 2020, the regulator has said it expects band spectrum will allow blazing fast speeds over
the new rules to be in place ‘in early 2021’. shorter distances … We are making the low, mid and
(November 14, 2020) commsupdate.com high bands available so that the telcos can provide
better, faster and stronger 5G in Australia.’
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional (November 4, 2020) commsupdate.com
Development and Communications (DITRDC) has

A 5G spectrum auction will not take place in Belgium the funds in escrow until an agreement is reached,
until the end of 2021 at the earliest, the Belgian parliament will need to approve an amendment to
federal telecoms minister Petra De Sutter has told the Telecom Law setting the minimum price for the
newspaper De Tijd. Although the political stumbling auction and a series of Royal Decrees specifying the
Belgium blocks have largely been resolved, the legal and coverage requirements and other conditions imposed
legislative preparations for an auction are expected to on mobile network operators before an auction can be
take another twelve months, the minister confirmed. staged. The minister has promised to press ahead with
The sale of 5G spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.5GHz the process, despite public concerns surrounding the
bands has been delayed by the lengthy process of potential health effects from 5G radiation, particularly
forming a new federal government coalition, as well as among voters of her own Groen ecologist party. ‘I take
a disagreement between regional governments on how the concerns seriously, but I see no evidence at this time
to share the proceeds of the auction, which is expected that the prevailing radiation standards are damaging
to raise a minimum of EUR800 million (USD948 million). health,’ she said, while stressing the government will
Although it has been provisionally decided to place continue to research the issue. ‘But I will certainly not be

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