Page 131 - SAMENA Trends - October-December 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

to implement the second network. The decision to go legal repercussions. Communications Minister Fahmi
with U Mobile comes as a surprise to some industry Fadzil reiterated that tech companies must align with
observers who saw the telco as the underdog of the local laws to continue operating in Malaysia, signaling
race. RHB Research and CIMB Securities issued no plans for delay. Frankel emphasized that Meta has
statements in September rating Maxis as the likely yet to decide whether to apply for the license due to the
front-runner for the second network. vague regulatory framework, pointing out that similar
(November 4, 2024) www.developingtelecoms.com regulations typically take years to finalize to avoid
stifling innovation. While Malaysia’s communications
Meta Platforms has expressed concerns over ministry has yet to comment, Fahmi recently met
Malaysia’s plan to require social media platforms to with Meta representatives, thanking them for their
obtain regulatory licenses by 1 January 2025. The cooperation but urging more action against harmful
Malaysian government’s new regulation aims to content, particularly regarding minors. Meta has
combat online threats like scams, cyberbullying, and stated its shared commitment to online safety and is
sexual crimes. However, Meta’s director of public collaborating with Malaysian authorities to remove
policy for Southeast Asia, Rafael Frankel, criticized harmful content. Frankel argued that Meta already
the timeline, arguing it’s “exceptionally accelerated” prioritizes online safety and doesn’t require a licensing
and lacks clear guidelines, potentially hindering digital framework. Despite ongoing concerns, Meta hopes to
innovation and economic growth. Malaysia announced work with the government to find a middle ground on
in July that any social media or messaging service with the regulations before implementation.
over eight million users would need to comply or face (October 30, 2024) www.dig.watch

The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRAN) countries. Starlink’s services, which are promoted
has ordered Starlink, the satellite internet provider as helping to bridge the digital divide in rural and
owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to cease business for underserved areas, are often seen as disruptive to local
operating without license in the country. While Starlink telecoms markets. Indeed, this month Starlink has
has filed an application for an operating license, the faced allegations of predatory pricing in Kenya, aimed
Namibia CRAN has yet to grant it, and has cautioned consumers at luring away customers from local service providers,
against purchasing or using Starlink equipment. “The though the national competition regulator says it
public is hereby advised not to purchase Starlink will not be investigating the issue. Disruption from
terminal equipment or subscribe to its services, as Starlink’s presence in national telecoms markets will
such activities are illegal,” said an emailed statement. only increase as the company begins to offer direct-
“Investigators have already confiscated illegal to-device connectivity, which it is currently testing in
terminals from consumers and have opened criminal the US with T-Mobile. It is worth noting that claims of
cases with the Namibian police in this regard.” The operating without a license is nothing new for Starlink.
escalation highlights Starlink’s ongoing challenges Similar issues have arisen in other nations, such as
in establishing a foothold in Africa, where it faces Cameroon, where authorities have also seized Starlink
regulatory hurdles and resistance from a number of equipment for operating illegally.
state-owned telecoms monopolies. However, since the (December 1, 2024) www.totaltele.com
start of 2023, Starlink has been launched in 15 African

The Nigerian Communications Commission said way to do this – the commission is introducing a tariff
it is leading industry reforms aimed at restoring simplification method, which hopes to address price
consumer confidence in the telecommunications uncertainty among other things. In their usual ways of
Nigeria sector. The regulator has introduced new measures wooing subscribers, the operators have different tariffs
and bonuses for data and call services. However, even
to enhance transparency and accountability within
the telecommunication sector. In recent times, the when subscribers have details of the bonus or tariff
services of the nation’s major telecommunications before subscribing, they don’t get to know how it
operators have degenerated with users reporting works. In some cases, operators apply different tariffs
persistent disruptions to calls and data services. to bonus accounts, resulting in different tariffs for
Officials said that the commission aims to foster the main account and bonus account of consumers.
a healthier, more trustworthy, and consumer-cent Oftentimes, the information will not be communicated
red telecommunications environment in Nigeria by to consumers, which may lead to uninformed decisions.
implementing rigorous evaluations of service reliability, (October 10, 2024) www.premiumtimesng.com
consumer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. One

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