Page 135 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Senate’s Transportation and Telecommunications the Department of Telecommunications (Subsecretaria
Committee have restarted discussions regarding de Telecomunicaciones, SUBTEL) would continue to be
the potential establishment of a Superintendency responsible for defining regulatory policies, spectrum
of Telecommunications (Superintendencia de administration and managing subsidies, as well as
Chile Telecomunicaciones, SUPERTEL). The outlet notes publishing statistics for the sector. The proposal was
that such measures had been proposed previously in
reportedly met with general approval, including a nod
2011 and 2014 without being put into effect. Under the from Minister of Transport and Telecommunications
new proposals SUPERTEL’s functions would include: Gloria Hutt. Undersecretary of Telecommunications
supervising telecommunications services, ensuring Pamela Gidi also approved of the measures, but noted
the protection of user data, dictating administrative that there were some areas that needed to be clarified,
measures, initiating sanctions for infractions and such as how the new organization’s budget would be
reporting on the granting and modification of licenses. defined.
For its part, meanwhile, the existing telecoms watchdog (October 2, 2020) TeleSemana

Chinese state-backed firm China Broadcasting Network construction and sharing agreement with China Mobile
Corporation Ltd (CBN, also known as China Radio that would see both firms invest equal amounts in the
and Television Network or China Radio and TV) has construction of a 700MHz 5G network, with the pair
established a new joint venture company to operate jointly owning the network and sharing rights to use the
China as the country’s fourth national telco. The new firm, system. As noted by TeleGeography’s GlobalComms
China Broadcasting Network Co Ltd, was established Database, the company has stated that its intention
in Beijing on 12 October 2020 with a registered capital is to primarily utilize 5G technology for a converged
of CNY101.2 billion (USD15 billion) and is 51% owned media communications network, although it will also
by CBN, whilst its other shareholders include State provide mobile communications services. Elsewhere,
Grid Information and Telecommunication Group, meanwhile, NRTA noted that CBN has already made
Alibaba Venture Capital Management, Guangdong ‘important progress’ towards national cable TV network
Radio Television Network and Beijing All Media integration, and that the new company will ‘establish a
Culture Group. In a statement, the National Radio and unified operation and management system for cable
Television Administration (NRTA) – the government TV network integration and radio and television 5G
agency with control and oversight of CBN – noted construction in accordance with the requirements of
that the new company had a total of 46 sponsors “unified construction, unified management, unified
including strategic investors and shareholders which standards, and unified branding”’. Further, the operator
collectively hold 51% of non-listed provincial cable TV will implement a so-called ‘Smart Broadcasting’
network companies. China Broadcasting Network Co strategy that will see the firm utilize ‘mobile internet,
Ltd is tasked with the development of an integrated smart operating systems and other new technologies
national cable TV network, and the construction of a to carry diversified applications, develop smart
‘radio and TV 5G network’. On the 5G front, CBN was products that meet the needs of digital life, and provide
allocated a 5G license in June 2019 and already held users with ultra-high definition (4K/8K) and virtual
the rights for spectrum in the 700MHz and 4.9GHz reality (VR) [and] IoT [services]’.
bands. In early 2020 the company signed a 5G co- (October 14, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Communications, DTV Star and Cambodia Broadband
(MPTC) has revoked or suspended the licenses of 17 Technologies have all been stripped of their ISP
telecoms companies, following an audit to assess the licenses. Three companies – Aerospace Information
status of their business operations, technical capacity Cambodia, Lim Heng Group and TPLC Holdings – have
Cambodia and financial situation. The MPTC determined that 17 had their ISP and VoIP licenses revoked, and Kingtel
telecoms companies were either inactive, employee- Communications is no longer permitted to provide
less, non-compliant in the payment of their financial VoIP, although its ISP license is still valid. Finally, the
obligations or failed to provide the required technical MPTC says that the ISP license of BDKtel has been
documentation. Two companies have had their mobile suspended (rather than revoked) and the ‘position and
licenses revoked, namely CadComms and Emaxx navigation license’ of Asia Star Resources Investment
Telecom, while CN Xinyuan Interconnect, XNET, Saturn Holding has been revoked.
Holdings, ATA Telecom, PPIN Internet, HT Networks, DG (October 23, 2020) commsupdate.com

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