Page 106 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

European Commission Pushes for Action on 5G

The European Commission (EC) pressed for collaboration among cross-border services in the transport and industrial sectors.
member countries to accelerate and ease 5G deployments, It added it was essential to “avoid or minimize any delays in
including cutting red tape, improving access to spectrum, granting access to radio spectrum to ensure timely deployment of
and cross-border coordination on frequency assignment. In a 5G”. Among the suggested policies, the EC said a deadline of four
document outlining recommendations for the development of high months should be imposed for granting or declining permission
speed fiber and 5G services across the economic bloc, it called for civil works associated with high-speed network deployment.
on European Union countries to work on a common approach to It also called for “timely and investment-friendly access to 5G
address hurdles currently hampering deployments. Included in the radio spectrum”. EC Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry
issues it aims to tackle are a reduction in 5G deployment costs, Breton added: “At a time when access to broadband internet
removal of unnecessary administrative hurdles, and support of represents both a fundamental commodity for Europeans and
a geostrategic stake for companies, we must, together with
member states, enable and accelerate the rollout of secure fiber
and 5G networks.” The EC wants its members to identify and
share best practices to achieve its aims by 20 December, with
guidelines then agreed by 30 March 2021. Following the release
of the EC’s latest document, GSMA head of public policy in Europe
Laszlo Toth said: “These are boldest steps yet to get the European
Commission’s 5G action plan back on track. They targeted the
tightest bottlenecks: best practices for spectrum auctions and
faster site permits.” The state of Europe’s 5G rollouts has been
criticized by a wide number of parties, including business groups
and industry associations warning the continent is severely
lagging other industrial powerhouses.

Department of Space Doesn't Want To Free Up Spectrum in 26 GHz Mmwave

The Department of Space (DoS) has at a recent meeting of the Asia-Pacific reports to understand and collect
objected to any airwaves allocation in the Telecommunity’s wireless group (AWG), technical conditions for 5G deployments
coveted 26 GHz millimeter wave band for 5G and is believed to have also rejected a in millimeter wave bands - 26 GHz and
services, saying it can cause interference proposal of India participating in a global 28 GHz -- where many APT countries
between satellite and 5G mobile networks study on the potential co-existence of 5G as well as others in other regions have
and impact quality of satellite coverage. At mobile broadband and satellite operations started commercial offerings. At press
a time when telcos want the Department of on the 26 GHz band. Phone companies time, the DoS and Indian Space Research
Telecommunications (DoT) and the sector though want India to participate in the AWG Organization (Isro) did not reply to ET’s
regulator to ensure both millimeter-wave global study to establish the criticality of queries. Another senior telco executive
spectrum and other 5G bands like 3.5 GHz deploying 5G services on 26 GHz band, and said “blocking 5G deployments in the
are auctioned in India’s first 5G spectrum also want the government to coordinate 26 GHz band would be in direct conflict
sale (likely in 2021), unavailability of 26 matters with concerned ministries. This is with the goals of the National Digital
GHz spectrum could spoil the 5G business since a high-powered DoT panel on 5G had Communications Policy-2018”. This, he
case in India. Experts say without 26 GHz earlier told the government to coordinate said, is since NDCP-2018 has recognized
spectrum -- widely considered among the with the relevant ministries to boost that airwaves in the 3 GHz to 43 GHz range
most efficient for 5G services – 5G network spectrum availability for industry. “We are are central to India’s 5G strategy, and 26
deployment costs would rise several-fold keen that interference and compatibility GHz is seen as the super-efficient 5G band
for telcos, making the ultra-fast wireless studies for co-existence of satellite and in that range. The DoT is tipped to auction
broadband service unaffordable in the 5G services in India be undertaken, and 5G spectrum next year, and has earmarked
country. They warned that India also won't request the government to coordinate this spectrum only in the 3.3-3.6 Hz band for
be able to leverage the 5G global devices effort with the concerned ministries,” Dr S 5G. It is reckoned to be preparing a draft
ecosystem rapidly developing around the P Kochhar, director general of the Cellular Cabinet note for a next 4G spectrum sale.
26 Ghz band, especially with US, China, Operators Association of India, told ET. The Among the 4G bands on offer, airwaves in
South Korea and Japan backing 5G association represents Airtel, Reliance Jio the 700 MHz and 800 MHz, can also be
global deployments in this super-efficient and Vodafone Idea. Kochhar added that used for 5G.
spectrum. The DoS voiced its reservations COAI is pleased that the AWG is developing

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