Page 141 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

in May 2019 using its 2×5MHz spectrum allocation in coverage reached 78% (based on outdoor voice signal)
the 1800MHz band (valid until 2029), offering mobile and it has continued to expand the footprint, most
services exclusively for fixed internet, TV or telephony recently disclosing that it covered 650 settlements by
subscribers of the group, and to date the MNO service the start of September 2020, up from 549 settlements
remains unavailable to non-bundling customers. claimed in June.
By the beginning of 2020, DIGI’s mobile population (September 22, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Indian government established a panel comprising The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has
the heads of its telecoms and defence ministries, among agreed to abandon its inquiry into the premium ‘RedX’
others, to streamline spectrum allocation and deliver tariff offered by Vodafone Idea – which now operates
a long-term roadmap designed to offer operators under the Vi brand – after the provider removed claims
India clarity on the specific bands to be made available, The regarding priority 4G access from the plans. The
Economic Times (ET) reported. A senior official told ET regulator agreed to cease its investigation following
the committee’s goal is to sort out conflicting interests a revision of the plans last week, which Vi said it
between ministries, identify bands to be released and hoped would address the TRAI’s concerns. Following
look to hold an auction annually. The group met for a complaint from rival provider Reliance Jio Infocomm
the first time on 12 October. The Department of Space (Jio), the TRAI began examining whether Vi’s RedX plan
and the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting; negatively impacted quality of service for non-premium
Railways; and Home Affairs are also on the panel. A customers. Elsewhere, meanwhile, Vi is set to upgrade
source told the newspaper its remit may be expanded its 3G customers to 4G ‘in a phased manner across all
to cover spectrum pricing. Top of the agenda for the markets’, but will continue to offer 2G services.
committee will be convincing the Department of (September 28, 2020) The Economic Times
Space to give up blocks of 26GHz spectrum, which
the Department of Telecommunications wants for a Executives from Indian cellcos Bharti Airtel and
5G auction, ET stated. Operators have long called for Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) – now operating under the
a clear spectrum roadmap to enable them to plan their Vi brand – have urged regulators to release spectrum
network strategies and capex budgets. A 4G auction in the E band (71GHz-76GHz and 81GHz-86GHz)
involving as much as 2475MHz of spectrum planned and V band (57GHz to 64GHz) to support backhaul
for this year was pushed to early 2021, despite interest infrastructure for 4G and 5G networks. The Economic
from Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. A 5G spectrum Times quotes Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon as saying
auction was also delayed until 2021, due to the poor that the frequencies would be key to 5G backhaul in
financial health of the industry and worries the reserve India, adding: ‘A robust transport network is needed.
price is too high to attract interest. The country’s last 5G will need backhaul, which will be much larger than
spectrum sale was in October 2016, generating $9.8 the backhaul of a 4G site needs because of the sheer
billion for the government. (October 14, 2020) mobileworldlive.com spectrum 5G brings in.’ (September 21, 2020) commsupdate.com

The government is said to be considering fast-tracking the plan would require ‘detailed technical, commercial
the National Broadband Plan (NBP) in response to and financial analyses. (September 25, 2020) commsupdate.com
the coronavirus crisis, The Irish Times writes, citing
Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan. Speaking Irish telecoms watchdog the Commission for
Ireland in the Dail Eireann, the minister was reported to have Communications Regulation (ComReg) has launched a
consultation as part of a Universal Service Review on
said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted
the importance of reliable broadband in facilitating the provision of public payphones. Previously, in June
remote working, providing access to education and 2020 the regulator outlined its plan to consult on the
for essential online facilities. ‘My department is usage threshold and payment methods that would be
engaging with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to in place until 31 December 2020 – the end of the current
explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the payphone designation period – as well as the need, if
planned rollout to establish the possibility of bringing any, for a public payphone universal service after that.
forward premises which are currently scheduled in In keeping its word, ComReg is now undertaking the
years six and seven of the plan to an earlier date’. Such review and has invited submissions from members
discussions are reportedly ‘ongoing’, while Ryan noted of the public, as well as interested stakeholders by a
that any changes proposed in relation to accelerating deadline of 19 October. (September 24, 2020) commsupdate.com

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