Page 144 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

ACCC Delves Deeper into Telstra, TPG Deal

Australia’s competition watchdog called for the benefits to the public outweigh any in mobile infrastructure. “There is still
additional comments from stakeholders downsides. The agency is reviewing an a lot of work to do on this complicated
into its preliminary view of a proposed application for the acquisition of certain and nuanced review.” “At this stage we
spectrum sharing agreement between TPG Telecom spectrum tied to three have not reached any overall conclusions,
Telstra and TPG Telecom, after failing interrelated network agreements which are but welcome further submissions from
to sate initial concerns. The Australian being considered together. “We are looking stakeholders and consumers alike on the
Competition and Consumer Commission extremely closely at all aspects of these issues raised.” Submissions are due by 14
(ACCC) stated it remained concerned agreements, as a decision either way can October. A decision is likely be announced
high concentrations of spectrum holdings have significant long-term effects”, ACCC in early December. The ACCC estimates
might deter incumbents from offloading commissioner Liza Carver stated. Carver the arrangement to actively share mobile
surplus licenses and instead incentivize explained the ACCC is assessing how the infrastructure in certain regional and urban
them to prevent others accessing it. It proposed infrastructure and spectrum fringe areas covers about 17 per cent of
explained to grant authorization, it must arrangements will change the incentives Australia’s population. Rival Optus called
be satisfied the transaction would not and ability of Telstra, TPG Telecom, for the regional element to be rejected.
substantially lessen competition, or ensure Optus and others to compete and invest

China Unicom Granted

Mexican License by IFT

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications
Institute (Instituto Federal de
Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has granted
China Unicom an operating license, El
Economista reports. The concession
was reportedly requested in March and
awarded in July, but the decision has only
now been made public. As per the article,
the Chinese telco – which has set up shop
in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico
City – will initially focus on dedicated links,
data transmission and capacity provision,
but has not ruled out exploring the delivery
of mobile and fixed service to the mass
market.

Arcep Hits Free Caraibe with EUR300,000 Fine for Rollout Non-Compliance

Paris-based watchdog the Authority of 2020 that the company had not fulfilled its • 75% of the population of Saint
Regulation for Electronic Communications agreed rollout schedule. At that juncture Barthelemy; and
and Posts (Autorite de Regulation des the regulator gave the telco a year to rectify • 75% of the population of Saint-Martin.
Communications Electroniques et des the matter – something that it did not do. As per a decision dated 26 September
Postes, Arcep) has confirmed that it has In the event, Free Caraibe switched on (published on 18 October) Arcep fined Free
fined Free Caraibe for non-compliance commercial services on 17 May 2022. As Caraibe EUR300,000 (USD295,415) for its
with its deployment obligations in per its initial rollout schedule, Free Caraibe slow rollout. The watchdog notes that the
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, was required to deliver the following level fine took into account the investments
Saint Barthelemy and Saint-Martin. Back in of mobile and mobile broadband coverage that Free Caraibe had made in its network
2017 Arcep awarded Free Caraibe 800MHz, by 22 November 2018: deployments since the expiry of its formal
900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz and 2.6GHz • 50% of the population of Guadeloupe; notice, as well as the eventual launch of the
frequencies in the five French overseas • 30% of the population of French Guiana; commercial offering.
territories, and established in December • 50% of the population of Martinique;
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