Page 102 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Government of Belarus Considering Various Options for 5G

The government of Belarus is considering of Communications and Informatisation 5G services in Belarus. One area under
several options for building out a 5G (Minsvyazi) issued a license to joint discussion centered on boosting mutual
network in the country, and to that end venture Belarusian Cloud Technologies cooperation between Belarus and Turkey
has welcomed proposals from Austria- (beCloud) to operate in the country’s in the field of telecommunications and
based A1 Telekom Austria Group – communications market as a wholesale IT, as well as the prospects for beCloud
owner of domestic cellco A1 Belarus infrastructure access provider – initially and Turkcell – which owns an 80% stake
(formerly VELCOM). First Deputy Prime via a communal 4G LTE network that now in the country’s third largest mobile
Minister of Belarus Aleksandr Turchin covers more than 75% of the population. In operator BeST (life:)) – to work together
informed Ambassador Extraordinary and July 2018, meanwhile, Belarus’ Operational in future. beCloud went on to launch the
Plenipotentiary of Austria to Belarus, and Analytical Center (OAC, a body working first experimental zones for 5G in Minsk,
Aloisia Worgetter, of the government’s under the Office of the President), beCloud in December 2018, working in partnership
position at a recent bilateral meeting and Turkish telco Turkcell held strategic with Ericsson of Sweden.
in which the subject of A1 Telekom talks concerning the development of
was mentioned. According to Turchin:
‘In my opinion, only the matter of the
development of the 5G network remains
undecided. The Belarusian government is
looking into various options for building
this network. A proposal has been made
by A1. Another has been made by MTS
Belarus. This is why we intend to discuss
these options soon in order to work out
some decision and understand in what
direction we are going to move.’ Further,
the minister assured Ms. Worgetter that
the Belarusian administration would
consider all options on the table, adding
that the government ‘would be grateful if
A1 presented a well-reasoned explanation
why their proposal is the best one’.
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database
writes that in August 2013 the Ministry

FCC Chief Says 5G Security Message Resonates Abroad

Federal Communications Commission use of equipment from vendors it deems presents a false dichotomy that you have
(FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai argued US a security risk, most notably Huawei. “We to either choose security or you have to
operators’ ability to launch 5G using are not going in and demanding anyone choose leadership in 5G, and the argument
equipment supplied exclusively by shares our view. In many cases we found I use as a counterpoint is look at the US
approved vendors proves other countries that view has been shared and [authorities experience,” Pai added, noting domestic
do not need to sacrifice security to achieve overseas] are looking forward to working deployments only use equipment from
strong next generation networks. During with us, especially some of our closest “trusted vendors”. He continued: “We think
the opening keynote, Pai said messages on security partners.” He noted the fact 5G we can hit the sweet spot of both security
5G security had been “very well received” networks are likely to be largely software and deployment, and that’s a message
during his frequent visits abroad to defined will offer a “broader attack that’s resonated largely around the world
promote the country’s stance on the issue. surface” with a need to “make sure we as other countries have looked to piggy
These trips have come alongside a US mitigate the risks on that surface as much back on that successful model.”
campaign to persuade authorities to ban as possible”. “Sometimes the conversation

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