Page 150 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Four applicants have been approved to participate support from the government’s fund to promote the
in Sweden’s upcoming 5G spectrum auctions for development of broadband infrastructure. Areas
2.3GHz and 3.5GHz frequencies. Hi3G Access (Tre), covered include parts of the counties of Blekinge,
Net4Mobility (Tele2 and Telenor), Telia Sweden and Varmland, Vasternorrland and Vastra Gotaland. The 44
Sweden Teracom (Net1) are cleared to bid in the sale process schemes will be awarded subsidies totaling SEK106
which begins on 10 November. All of the approved million (USD11.9 million), from a fund of SEK136 million
firms currently operate mobile networks in Sweden. which has been made available for 2020. Further
As previously announced, up to 15 nationwide licenses projects will be announced next month, the PTS says.
will be sold in the 3.5GHz band (3400MHz-3720MHz), The broadband fund is aimed at promoting rollouts in
incorporating a maximum 320MHz of frequencies underserved rural areas where it is uneconomic for
(one license will include 40MHz of spectrum while the telcos to pursue commercial deployments. (October 8, 2020)
rest will offer 20MHz). The minimum bid for 3.5GHz commsupdate.com
frequencies is SEK100 million (USD10 million) per
lot (SEK1.5 billion in total). Up to 80MHz will be on The Post and Telecom Agency (Post & Telestyrelsen,
offer in the 2.3GHz range, split into eight nationwide PTS) is to provide an extra SEK1.4 billion (USD159
concessions, with a reserve price of SEK20 million million) in broadband support in 2021 as part of the
per license (SEK160 million in total). Meanwhile, the SEK2.85 billion investment expected by 2025. Dan
Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has stipulated that Sjoblom, the regulator’s CEO, says that state funding
equipment from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE must is still needed to cover the areas the market does
not be used in the construction of 5G networks due to not reach, offering subsidies for operators to deploy
national security concerns. (October 20, 2020) commsupdate.com gigabit-capable networks in rural regions. A tender for
the state-subsidized rollouts will be opened in June
The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has 2021 and this will be preceded by a public consultation
selected the first 44 projects which will receive process. (September 17, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority 1482MHz band without a valid license since March
(TCRA) has fined ISP Raha, a subsidiary of Liquid 2020, and had also failed to ‘provide internet services
Telecom, a total of TZS11.8 billion (USD5.1 million) and submit financial statements’. Raha is required to
for violating regulations. Local newspaper The Citizen pay the fines within 90 days, or face further penalties.
Tanzania cites the regulator’s director general James Kilaba as (September 1, 2020) commsupdate.com
saying that Raha had used spectrum in the 1452MHz-

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and sites in areas of high demand. He commented: ‘Those
Tobago (TATT) reportedly awarded Digicel a 10MHz sites will be activated over the next two to three weeks.
block of spectrum in the 700MHz band on 1 October We have purchased a second phase of 30 sites that will
2020. In an interview with TechNewsTT.com, Chief be installed by February or March and we are planning
Trinidad and Technical Officer Chandrika Samaroo admitted that the for another 80 sites. The first 200 sites were based on
Tobago block is half of what it needs to support its future 4G demand, but the world has changed, and the next 80
use, but it will be used alongside its existing spectrum
sites will address gaps in rural coverage.’ According
holdings in the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Digicel
to the CTO, 75% of the devices currently in use on its launched 4G services in Trinidad and Tobago in July
network should be able to access the 700MHz band and 2018. A dual-band LTE-A launch followed in November
86% of those devices are tri-band carrier aggregation 2019. The distribution of the 700MHz band has been
(3C) compatible. The executive told the website that anticipated since at least 2013.
Digicel has already deployed 200 700MHz-capable cell (October 13, 2020) commsupdate.com

Another licensing row has broken out in Uganda, this now developed at Airtel, Eagle Online reports. Airtel is
time centered on number two cellco Airtel. Following a currently operating via Public Service Provider (PSP)
long-running series of negotiations concerning market and Public Infrastructure Provider (PIP) concessions
leader MTN Uganda, which was settled in March this issued for USD100,000 in November 2018, but under
Uganda year when MTN agreed to pay USD100 million for a the Uganda Communications Commission’s (UCC’s)
revised licensing structure, Airtel is covered by the
twelve-year license extension, a similar situation has
150 SEP-OCT 2020