Page 102 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Vodacom Secures Interim Order against Lesotho License Revocation

Vodacom Lesotho has been granted an interim order by the Companies Act, 2011 and certain conditions of its unified license.
country’s High Court to prevent the revocation of its operating ‘We had no option but to seek relief in the courts because the LCA’s
license by the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), reports decisions imposing an excessive fine as well as the revocation of
Business Insider. Last week Vodacom said it was lodging an Vodacom’s operating license are both erroneous as a matter of
urgent application in the court to review attempts by the LCA law and public policy,’ commented the cellco’s managing director
to withdraw its unified licence, and to impose a fine of LSL134 Philip Amoateng, adding: ‘The LCA has unfortunately violated its
million (USD8.1 million) for alleged contraventions of the Lesotho prescripts and rules and our efforts to find an amicable solution
to the dispute has drawn a complete blank. Given the hostility
shown by the LCA towards Vodacom, our options are now limited
to seeking redress in the courts to avert further damage to our
brand, reputation and the interests of stakeholders, including
our customers, shareholders and employees.’ The move by the
regulator to revoke Vodacom’s licence followed accusations
that the cellco’s external auditors were not fully independent, as
required by the terms of its operating license and the Lesotho
Companies Act, 2011. The watchdog fined Vodacom a total of
LSL134 million, with 70% of the fine suspended as long as Vodacom
complied with the licensing rules in the future. Following the High
Court’s decision, the LCA must show cause why the interim order
should not be made final on 23 October, a Vodacom spokesperson
was cited as saying.

Uzbek President Issues Digital Strategy Decree, Including 2022 Universal

Broadband Target

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev security and other digital fields, while a speed mobile network coverage ‘from 78%
has issued a decree ‘On approval of the new ID card system will incorporate a to 95%’ and the deployment of 20,000km of
Strategy Digital Uzbekistan 2030 and personal account to establish electronic new fibre-optic lines in 2020-22, alongside
measures for its effective implementation’. relationships with government agencies other priorities for the development of
The national digital strategy includes a and organizations. A publicly available digital infrastructure, e-government,
goal to connect every settlement to the electronic platform for domestic software digital economy, the national market for
internet at speeds of at least 10Mbps by products and IT services is also being digital technologies, and IT education
the end of 2022, with an intermediate target created, and a September 2021 target (with computer coding training earmarked
to connect ‘all popular tourist destinations’ was set to launch digital technology for 500,000 young people under the ‘One
with high speed internet by end-2021. training centers in each district and city Million Programmers’ project). Aiming
Local website UzReport lists some other for the general population, especially to eliminate the digital divide in all
digitization initiatives in accordance youth and women. The website of the regions of the country, three-year digital
with the decree: e.g. 2021 will see the Ministry of Information Technologies & transformation programmes are being
introduction of a system of compensation Communications (MITC) gives details of developed for each region, with 13 ‘model’
for up to 50% of citizens’ expenses for other aspects of the Digital Uzbekistan districts/cities identified for pilot schemes
obtaining international IT certificates 2030 strategy, including further targets in 2020.
in system administration, information for 2022 involving the expansion of high

Swedish Regulator Revokes SMP Status of Three Firms

The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency power (SMP) for three companies which DGC and Voice Integrate Nordic have now
(Post & Telestyrelsen, PTS) has repealed it says no longer fall under the regulations had their SMP status removed.
decisions relating to significant market for the fixed termination market. Devicom,

102 SEP-OCT 2020