Page 106 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Australia to Auction 26GHz Spectrum in Early 2021

The Australian government has announced plans to auction 2.4GHz question are expected to be sold at a competitive auction which
of spectrum in the 26GHz band with a view to supporting ‘a fast will take place in early 2021. Mr. Fletcher confirmed that he had this
and efficient rollout of 5G across [the country].’ In a press release week issued a spectrum reallocation declaration for the 26GHz
regarding the matter – issued by the country’s communications band, consistent with advice from the Australian Communications
minister Paul Fletcher – it was noted that the frequencies in and Media Authority (ACMA), which he said had been informed
by extensive industry consultation. The ‘Radiocommunications
(Spectrum Reallocation—26GHz Band) Declaration 2019’ will
reportedly enable the ACMA to reallocate spectrum in the 26GHz
band (25.1GHz-27.5GHz) across 29 Australian cities and regional
centers in order to accommodate new wireless broadband
services, including 5G, under spectrum licensing arrangements.
Meanwhile, it was noted that, in order to evaluate the potential for
co-existence between NBN Co’s Sky Muster satellite services and
5G mobile broadband services in the 27GHz-27.5GHz frequency
range, the Department of Communications and the Arts (DCA)
has commissioned a report by an independent consultant.
Commenting on the spectrum sale plans, Minister Fletcher said:
‘The Morrison Government is allocating this spectrum to support
a number of important communications policy objectives,
including the rapid deployment of 5G technologies, the promotion
of competitive market outcomes, and encouraging investment in
infrastructure across both metropolitan and regional Australia
… Making this spectrum available means that the Australian
telecommunications industry can do what it does best – provide
world-class telecommunications services for consumers, small
businesses and enterprises. 5G will deliver speeds significantly
faster than 4G and at much lower latency.’

Antitrust Regulator Lifts Altice Restrictions in Regard to Numericable-SFR
Merger

France’s Competition Authority (Autorite de la Concurrence) has lifted
all restrictions imposed on Amsterdam-based Altice Europe (previously
Altice Group) in October 2014, when its subsidiary Numericable acquired
mobile network SFR. The authority said that it opted not to extend the
subscribed commitments for another five years, as it concluded that
competition between operators was sufficient, particularly in regard
to fiber. Following the lifting of the restrictions, Altice is no longer
required to provide access to its network at pre-merger rates. However,
a separate injunction imposed on Altice Europe in March 2017 in
relation to the ‘Faber’ co-investment project (inked between SFR and
Bouygues Telecom in November 2010, before the former was acquired
by Altice and merged with Numericable) remains in place. The Faber
deal aimed to increase fiber-optic deployments in 22 densely-populated
municipalities, though the Autorite de la Concurrence ruled that
following the Numericable-SFR merger, the ‘pace of the connections
slowed noticeably … running substantially behind the agreed schedule’,
thus negatively affecting Bouygues Telecom. Along with imposing a
fine of EUR40 million (USD42.7 million), the competition authority has
created a new deployment schedule aiming to ensure Altice carried out
its commitments, with periodic penalty payments if it failed to do so.

106 OCTOBER 2019