Page 140 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Spectrum applications opened last week and the the companies Vodafone and Wind to extend their
process should be concluded by 21 December. 4G network sharing. EETT took into account the
Vodafone Greece has already said it intends to launch agreement between the two companies does not
commercial 5G services in the first quarter of next contain "objectively" restrictive terms of competition
year. The operator’s CEO, Haris Broumidis, told Capital. nor involve the sharing of spectrum or the companies’
gr that services will initially be introduced in the main backbone networks. In addition, there are safeguards
cities of Athens and Thessaloniki before expansion against the sharing of sensitive data, and also it is
to other areas. Rivals Cosmote and Wind are also mainly confined to rural and semi-urban areas of the
expected to launch 5G in Q1 2021. Greece began country. It assessed the impact of the agreement on
accepting applications last week for its auction of the mobile telephony market, and the benefits arising
spectrum in the 700MHz, 2GHz, 3.4GHz-3.8GHz and from the agreement especially the population gaining
26GHz bands, with the frequencies have a combined upgraded 4G services faster than they would without
total starting price of €367.3 million. Separately, the the network sharing in the areas of the country that are
Plenary Session of the Hellenic Telecommunications the least commercially viable for operators.
and Post Commission (referred to in Greece as EETT) (September 28, 2020) mobileeurope.co.uk
completed its investigation of the agreement between

A public consultation on arrangements for the it through auction. Prospective spectrum assignees
reassignment of the 90 MHz of spectrum in the 2.5/2.6 may deploy the acquired spectrum in a technology
GHz band for the provision of public mobile services neutral manner, including for the provision of 4G and
as well as the associated spectrum utilization fee was 5G services, it added. As for the related spectrum
Hong Kong launched. The Secretary for Commerce & Economic utilization fee, similar to other spectrums assigned
for public mobile services where there are competing
Development and the Communications Authority
jointly launched the consultation to seek views by demands, it should reflect the full market value. The
October 20. A 90 MHz of spectrum in the 2.5/2.6 GHz fee will be determined through auction with the reserve
band is currently assigned to three mobile network prices to be set by the Secretary for Commerce &
operators for the provision of fourth generation mobile Economic Development. The bureau said auctioning
(4G) services and they will expire in March 2024. the spectrum will ensure that such a scarce public
Apart from the good radio propagation characteristics resource can be place into the hands of those who
of the 2.5/2.6 GHz band in providing wide area value it most and will consequently put it to the most
coverage and its wide bandwidth in supporting high efficient use for the benefit of the public. After taking
transmission capacity, the band can also be re-farmed into account the views and comments received, the
to meet future demand for fifth generation mobile (5G) bureau and the authority aim to make their decisions in
services. As there will likely be competing demands the first quarter of 2021.
for the spectrum, the authority proposed to reassign (September 24, 2020) news.gov.hk

The National Media & Infocommunications Authority ‘make it difficult’ for DIGI to enter the auction, by setting
(Nemzeti Media- es Hirkozlesi Hatosag, NMHH) has criteria that could lead to DIGI’s bidding application
published the draft documentation for auctioning being rejected, based on previous experiences of
900MHz and 1800MHz mobile frequencies, including Hungarian spectrum sales. DIGI added that the auction
Hungary spectrum currently held by nationwide mobile network should be neutral, fair and in line with European law
and practices, thus creating greater competition. In
operators (MNOs) Magyar Telekom, Vodafone Hungary
and Telenor Hungary which will expire in April 2022. March 2020 the NMHH awarded Telekom, Telenor and
Market participants may consult with the regulator on Vodafone 15-year licenses including 5G spectrum in the
the auction plans until 29 September 2020, with the 700MHz and 3600MHz bands despite a pending legal
procedural details expected to be finalized in October action from DIGI, which had its bid application rejected
and the spectrum sale scheduled for completion in Q1 by the regulator in September 2019 for failing to meet
2021. New licenses in the 900MHz (60MHz bandwidth) eligibility criteria. DIGI argues that excluding it from the
and 1800MHz (120MHz bandwidth) ranges will be valid upcoming 900MHz/1800MHz tender would force it to
for 15 years from April 2022, renewable for five years. continue limiting its mobile customer capacity, with the
DIGI Hungary – the country’s newest and smallest MNO potential for expansion highly dependent on available
– issued a statement in response to the NMHH claiming frequencies. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database
that the draft documentation contains regulations that shows that DIGI launched its 2G/4G cellular network

140 SEP-OCT 2020