Page 105 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

GSMA Head Backs Consolidation for 5G Boost

GSMA Director DGeneral Mats Granryd the connectivity needed to enable new use and professional relationships, and
called on regulators to approve operator cases and economic opportunities. “Our transform verticals including education
consolidation efforts, arguing such message to governments worldwide has and healthcare. For instance, he noted
transactions are necessary to drive been simple: don’t get short-term greedy big data can be used to analyze human
investment in next generation networks. and kill the long-term golden goose.” movement patterns to predict where
In a keynote, Granryd noted operators in Granryd said a combination of 5G, AI and disease outbreaks will happen, allowing
North America are expected to spend more big data will fundamentally “transform the health officials to launch awareness
than $380 billion on mobile networks in the way we live, the way we work and the way campaigns and treatment centers before
coming years, adding “we should look to we do business”. In addition to serving new the flare-up takes hold. Using tuberculosis
support this however we can”. Approving enterprise, industrial and entertainment as an example, Granryd said such an
consolidation efforts would bolster such use cases, he said intelligent connectivity initiative could save more than 100,000
investments while maintaining market offers the potential to enhance personal lives every year.
competition, he said. The comments
came as operators T-Mobile US and
Sprint continued a battle for approval of
a proposed merger despite opposition
from state officials. The pair successfully
overcame the objections of two opponents,
however 16 attorney generals remain
party to a lawsuit aiming to block the
deal. Granryd also pressed regulators to
level the playing field between operators
and internet companies by implementing
equivalent rules for all digital services, and
called for harmonized international privacy
and data protection laws. He reiterated the
need for regulators to offer more spectrum
to operators at a reasonable cost, noting “it
is only the mobile industry that can deliver”

UKE Eases Regulation on Orange Polska in a Further 75 Markets

Orange Polska has been exempted from regulation in 151 markets across the fighting for customers with investments,
regulation in a further 75 municipalities country. Orange spokesperson Wojciech quality of services and price.’ He added
due to sufficient levels of competition Jabczynski commented: ‘This is a wise that increased competition and lighter
in the market for local loop access. The decision for the market and customers. We regulation is pushing telcos – including
Office of Electronic Communications are glad that the regulator is boldly moving Orange – to improve their networks and
(Urzad Komunikacji Elektronicznej, away from archaic regulations in favor of services in order to attract new customers
UKE) says the incumbent is now free of pure competition, where operators are and retain existing users.

ACM Develops Infrastructure Sharing Guidelines Ahead of 5G Auction

The Netherlands’ Authority for Consumers ‘With the guidelines we want to offer areas. Other topics to be addressed
& Markets (ACM) has announced that it will clarity to the parties on the mobile market include the potential for renting/leasing
publish new guidelines for infrastructure and thereby contribute to a smooth rollout spectrum, and preconditions for a cellco to
sharing in February 2020, ahead of the of 5G.’ Following discussions with sector use a rival’s 2G/3G network after switching
upcoming 5G spectrum license auction for players, ACM aims to clear up uncertainty off its own in the transition to 5G.
the 700MHz/1400MHz/2100MHz bands. over conditions governing shared rollouts,
Henk Don, ACM board member, stated: for example in economically unprofitable

105 OCTOBER 2019