Page 116 - SAMENA Trends - Oct-Nov 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

CRTC decision ‘that discourages network investment’. target to 8.3 million locations. Furthermore, Bell called
Bell says it will reduce planned network investment by the CRTC’s order to open up fiber networks in Ontario
over CAD1 billion (USD732 million) in 2024-25, including and Quebec but not in western Canada ‘arbitrary’, given
a minimum of CAD500 to CAD600 million next year ‘as that ‘there are over three million fiber locations passed
a direct result of the CRTC decision’, which it claims in western Canada’ (led by rival telco Telus), arguing that
‘leaves access to high speed fiber internet at risk for if the intent of the decision was to benefit consumers,
millions of Canadians in rural, suburban and urban then it was ‘capricious to leave western Canadian
communities’. The reduction is in addition to Bell’s consumers behind.’ In March 2023 the CRTC issued a
earlier decision to decrease its 2023 CAPEX budget by decision lowering certain wholesale fixed broadband
CAD100 million in anticipation of the CRTC ruling. Bell – internet access fees by 10%, whilst launching a public
currently operating a fiber broadband network covering consultation to reassess wholesale rates more broadly,
over seven million homes and businesses – notes that with the aims of supporting increased competition,
its near-term plan was to extend direct fiber access to more choice for end users and lower retail prices. The
nine million premises by the end of 2025, but it will now regulator’s review remains ongoing, with public hearings
reconsider pending builds in all communities where it scheduled to start on 12 February 2024.
had planned to expand, and will reduce its 2025 build (November 7, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

The Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications the ‘anarchic’ deployment of fiber infrastructure in
and Post (L’Autorite de Regulation des Communications the capital, N’Djamena, by ISP and mobile operators.
Electroniques et des Postes, ARCEP) has suspended ARCEP added that new fiber rollouts are subject to its
the deployment of fiber-optic cable throughout the approval following a review of the proposed plans for
Chad entire country until further notice. The regulator issued the deployment. (November 10, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
a direction on the subject in late October after observing

Telecom regulator Subtel has published the outline of will be evaluated and given scores. Subtel says: “This
a new 5G public tender that, it says, “seeks to continue evaluation aims to determine which of all the competing
providing better connectivity to the country and be applications offer the best technical conditions that
a contribution to the reduction of the digital divide”. ensure optimal transmission or excellent service, which
Chile The sale will be of a number of blocks that add up to will be measured by the deployment time of the network,
the population benefited, the coverage (communal and
50 MHz in the 3.5GHz band. There will be one to five
public telecommunications service concessions of complementary) committed and the new infrastructure
not less than 10 MHz each. The concessions will have installed.” However, a tie will be resolved through a
a duration of 30 years. The airwaves do not make up bidding mechanism. This is, of course, a short version
a continuous block. Thus, Subtel will rearrange the of the rules, which take up many pages of the Subtel
3400MHz-3600MHz band upon the completion of the website. Companies have a few months to read them,
tender so that the blocks awarded in the auction are however. Interested companies can apply from 16
"continuous, and that the rest of the blocks granted January 2024 but, presumably, before 24 January when
in [this] band are left with the least dispersion and applicant envelopes will be opened.
greatest possible continuity". As for winners, it’s not (October 19, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com
a matter of who bids the most, it seems. Applicants

The Ministry of Information Technologies and Commu- is earmarked to commence on 20 December. According
nications has announced that it has verified four would- to unconfirmed press reports, Sociedad Futura Telecall
be bidders ahead of its planned multi-band spectrum Colombia is an affiliate of Rio de Janeiro-based B2B op-
auction. The registered bidders are as follows: Claro erator Telexperts Telecomunicacoes (Telecall). The Bra-
Colombia Colombia; Partners Telecom Colombia (WOM); the zilian Telecall, which operates fiber-optic backbone net-
network-sharing JV between Tigo and Telefonica; and works in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, launched MVNO
Sociedad Futura Telecall Colombia. The auction will services in 2019 and went on to deploy an MVNA plat-
comprise spectrum in the 700MHz, 1900MHz, Extended form, which has supported the launches of more than
AWS, 2500MHz and 3500MHz bands. The participants 30 virtual operators.
will be rubberstamped on 4 December and the auction (November 15, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

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