Page 146 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Peruvian watchdog the Supervisory Agency for Private development, meanwhile, OSIPTEL has announced
Investment in Telecommunications (Organismo that it has imposed fines totaling PEN59.26 million
Supervisor de Inversion Privada en Telecommuniciones, (USD16.2 million) on the nation’s operators during
OSIPTEL) has ordered full-service provider Movistar the first seven months of 2020, just over double the
Peru Peru to introduce web and mobile applications that amount it issued against the companies in the same
period of 2019 (PEN29.10 million). Movistar accrued
will allow subscribers to directly and easily manage
procedures such as the migration, cancellation or the lion’s share of the fines with penalties of PEN41.77
suspension of their fixed internet plan. OSIPTEL has million, for 115 infractions, including failing to comply
set a deadline of 60 calendar days for Movistar to with requirements to improve service quality. Claro
implement the order. The timeline for the functions was was subject to the next largest fine with a penalty of
also determined by the regulator, with the telco required PEN7.19 million for 23 infractions, whilst Entel’s 22
to complete a customer’s request for the termination or fines totaled PEN5.92 million, with both having violated
suspension of their account within one business day. rules regarding number portability. Bitel was charged
As a provider with significant market power (SMP), a total PEN1.91 million across eleven fines. OSIPTEL
Movistar is subject to greater scrutiny and OSIPTEL noted that nearly half of the fines (48.94% or 92 of
has additional powers to regulate the telco’s activities the total of 188 fines issued) were related to failures
to ensure a level playing field. To that end, OSIPTEL to deliver on improvement commitments, whilst the
has sought to make it easier for customers to switch next most common infractions were (in order): failure
plans or migrate to alternative provider. As such, the to deliver information on time or delivery of inaccurate
regulator has also required Movistar inform customers information to OSIPTEL; activation of service without
of any price increases to a tariff 30 days in advance, use of biometric systems; non-compliance with
with a follow-up reminder ten days before the new portability regulations; non-compliance with service
rate takes effect. As part of these notifications the quality regulations; failure to compensate users
company must also inform customers that they may for service interruptions; failing to communicate
move to a cheaper plan if they wish, switch provider on interruptions within a timely manner; and other
or temporarily suspend their service. In a separate infractions. (October 5, 2020) commsupdate.com

NOW Corp communications arm NOW Telecom has which reportedly ‘complies with the 70-30 requirement
secured an extension to its provisional authority of the commission’. With NOW Telecom setting out
(PA) to install, operate, and maintain a nationwide its stall to become the Philippines’ fourth major
mobile telecommunications system, The Philippine telecommunications player, last month it announced
Philippines Star reports. The extension, issued by the National it was considering plans to go public – either in the
Philippines or overseas – and to that end had picked
Telecommunications Commission (NTC), is not
specific to 3G-based mobile technologies it said, and Unicapital as its financial advisor for the task at hand.
can be utilized for 4G or 5G. It is understood the PA (September 21, 2020) commsupdate.com
comes with a number of conditions, however, including
a stipulation that NOW Telecom secure an infusion of Filipino telecoms giant PLDT Inc. says the recent
additional capital of PHP1.9 billion (USD39.2 million) issuance of Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) orders to
– based on ‘the first two years capital expenditure reduce red tape associated with securing tower permits
of PHP6.3 billion in the submitted rollout plan and is already helping it to increase mobile coverage across
approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission the country. Introduced in August via a Memorandum
(SEC) of the increase in the authorized and paid-up Circular to shorten permit processing times, the
capital’. In addition, NOW is tasked with accelerating ARTA measures have helped PLDT and mobile arm
the deployment of its mobile internet service in Smart Communications to secure 211 building and
suburban and rural areas where, ‘it shall strictly preconstruction permits to deploy towers in Metro
comply with the 70:30 ratio of urban to suburban and Manila; and the provinces of Batangas, Rizal, Palawan,
rural network rollout coverage in each of the phases Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Leyte,
of project implementation’. Further, the terms and Samar, Southern Leyte, Camiguin, Davao del Norte,
conditions prohibit the carrier from sharing or co-using Davao Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga
its frequencies with any of the country’s other mobile Sibugay, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Lanao
operators – PLDT (Smart), Globe Telecom and DIT del Sur and Maguindanao. Additionally, the wireless
Telecommunity – or indeed, ‘any other entity’ without unit tapped up a number of towercos last month to
first securing approval from the NTC. In agreeing construct around 200 macro cell sites, it said. Alfredo
the PA extension, the regulator said it had based its Panlilio, Smart president and CEO, and PLDT chief
decision on the strength of NOW’s financial position revenue officer, said: ‘The initiative of the government

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