Page 151 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

National Telecom Operator (NTO) category, which Airtel has benefitted from reduced license fees for its
applies to operators with more than 65% nationwide PSP and PIP permits, when it should be paying the
network coverage. Rival firms have complained that much higher NTO fee. (September 14, 2020) commsupdate.com

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved an action Communications & Informatization (NCCIR) has issued
plan for 2020-2022 to improve the quality of mobile a notice for local fixed telephony operators regarding
communications, including preparations for the launch the possibility of continuing services for subscribers
of 5G technology, reports Liga.net citing Prime Minister of CST-Invest (NewTone), a subsidiary of Telesystems
Denis Shmyhal’s announcement via his Telegram (PEOPLEnet), in Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Melitopol, as
Ukraine channel. The PM wrote: ‘We are talking about the the provider is ceasing its operations in those cities.
implementation of European approaches to the quality CST-Invest holds allocations of 4,200 fixed numbers
of communication and electronic communication in Zaporizhia, 1,300 numbers in Melitopol and 1,000
services. Part of this plan will include provisions that numbers in Kharkiv. PEOPLEnet has been steadily
will make it possible to further introduce 5G technology reducing its coverage zones, most recently disclosing
in Ukraine.’ The plan stipulates the adoption of national that it will stop providing fixed-wireless telephony and
standards meeting European ETSI standards for the mobile CDMA services in the Kharkiv region (oblast)
implementation of 5G technologies. Before the end on 1 December 2020. The mobile shutdown in Kharkiv
of this year, the government intends to approve legal means that the company will serve mobile users in
amendments supporting 5G via allocation of radio just one oblast, Dnipropetrovsk. TeleGeography’s
frequency resources including the technology-neutral GlobalComms Database shows that PEOPLEnet offered
usage of existing mobile spectrum bands. CDMA mobile services in all 25 Ukrainian oblasts
(October 2, 2020) commsupdate.com before beginning a phased shutdown in September
2015, reducing its footprint to two oblasts in May 2017.
The National Commission for State Regulation of (September 21, 2020) commsupdate.com

British telecoms regulator OFCOM has published a a 30 November deadline. Following this, it has said it
statement and consultation related to a proposed expects to publish a decision statement and the final
package of measures designed to implement the new set of revised regulatory rules before 21 December
customer protections provided for in the European 2020. (October 28, 2020) commsupdate.com
United Electronic Communications Code (EECC). Although the British telecoms regulator OFCOM has launched a
UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, there is a transition
Kingdom period until 31 December 2020 and under the terms supplementary consultation to its Wholesale Fixed
of its Withdrawal Agreement the country remains Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR), putting forward
under obligation to implement EU directives into plans to revise previous proposals which would
domestic law. As such, the EECC – an EU directive that allow for the withdrawal of remaining regulations on
updates the regulations for communications – must copper services where fiber services are available, and
be implemented by 21 December 2020 and in July where certain conditions are met in exchanges where
this year, the UK government confirmed that OFCOM ultrafast coverage is complete. BT’s network arm
should proceed to implement the customer protections Openreach is understood to be planning to upgrade its
in the EECC in full, as planned. As part of OFCOM’s copper network to fiber on an exchange-by-exchange
latest publication regarding the matter, it highlighted a basis, and as each exchange is upgraded the company
number of key elements of its plans including: a ban on plans to migrate customers to the new network and
mobile providers from selling locked devices, which will then withdraw copper services altogether. OFCOM set
come into force in December 2021; measures designed out a proposed policy on copper retirement as part of
to making broadband switching easier and more the WFTMR consultation it published in January this
reliable (December 2022); better contract information year; in this it said the aim of its copper retirement
and stronger rights to exit (June 2022); and measures proposals was to promote fiber investment by shifting
to ensure that disabled customers have equivalent the focus of regulation from copper to fiber, to support
access to information about their communications the migration to fiber services. As per these initial
services (December 2021). OFCOM is now consulting proposals, OFCOM did not propose to allow Openreach
on aligning the definitions and terminology used to withdraw existing copper services during the market
across its regulatory rules, to make sure they are review period (2021-2026). However, the regulator
clear and consistent, and it has invited responses by now notes that since the January 2020 consultation

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