Page 162 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

will be applied to all frequency licenses. The approved regulations populated areas in the cities under the license. The CITC will follow
are intended to support investments in wireless technologies in the up on the company’s obligations to ensure the optimal use of the
Kingdom, facilitate access to scarce spectrum, and accommodate frequency spectrum, in accordance with the license and relevant
the growing needs for spectrum as wireless technologies evolve. regulations. The company further will continue to enhance its
The regulations can be accessed via this link: Frequency Licensing infrastructure, deploy the network and fulfill its future obligations
Fees Regulations. (September 15, 2022) www.citc.gov.sa/en under the license. The telco indicated that there is no relevant
financial impact, the statement added. In January, Etihad Atheeb
Etihad Atheeb Telecom Co. (Go) received the approval of the obtained the CITC approval to extend the commitment period to
Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) deploy the network for an additional six months, Argaam reported.
on commitment to deploy the network as per the CITC license Meanwhile, the telco was informed in a letter issued by the CITC in
for the 3.5GHz spectrum band, according to a bourse filing. The May that the license to use the 3.5GHz spectrum band frequency
telco was informed in a letter issued by CITC. The approval was will be canceled if it fails to fulfill its obligations.
related to using the assigned spectrum to cover at least 10% of the (September 6, 2022) www.argaam.com

Sri Lanka

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka This is not the first time the authorities have increased charges. In
(TRCSL) has approved a 20% hike in mobile, fixed voice, fixed June this year, the government implemented a wave of tax reforms
broadband plans and VAS services, covering both pre- and post- including a rise in VAT from 8% to 12% and an increase in the
paid customers, even though the move will up the pressure on Telecommunication Levy from 11.25% to 15%. In a statement at
millions of struggling Sri Lankans amid the country’s ongoing the time, the office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance,
financial crisis. ‘We wish to inform our valued customers that, Ranil Wickremesinghe, directed the TRCSL to implement the latter,
due to the continued escalation of operational costs resulting with immediate effect. The Telecommunication Levy was reduced
from the devaluation of the Sri Lankan rupee, tariff applicable on from 15% to 11.25% effective from 1 December 2019 which the
our services will be increased effective 5 September 2022,’ telco government claims ‘led to a decrease in revenue by 28% to LKR13.1
operators including SLT-Mobitel, Dialog Axiata, Hutch Lanka and billion in 2020 from LKR18.3 billion in 2019. Hence, it is proposed
Airtel Lanka announced at the weekend. Adding to people’s woes, to increase the Telecommunication Levy from 11.25% to 15% with
the TRCSL also approved a 25% increase on all pay-TV services. immediate effect.’ (September 6, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

South Sudan

South Sudan’s National Communication Authority (NCA) has order to ensure the continuity of networks and services. The move
announced it is adjusting the exchange rate for telecoms tariffs aims to gradually adjust the exchange rate for telecoms tariffs to
following requests from the country’s mobile operators. The the same level as the SSP600 holding base rate for the Bank of
current tariff exchange rate was set at SSP300 to USD1 back in South Sudan. The adjustment will be carried out gradually over a
2020 but the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in global 90-day period from 15 September to 15 December 2022.
oil prices (which led to higher costs for operators to power and (September 13, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
maintain their networks) have prompted a review of the rates in

Turkey

Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Engineering and Natural dizzying speeds, and the rules of the game have changed at the
Sciences organized a "6G Conference" within the scope of 6th same time, Karaismailoğlu said that development and development
generation wireless communication technology studies. Speaking can be possible by producing information, transforming the
at the opening of the 2-day conference, Minister of Transport and produced information into a product and introducing this product
Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu said, “Cyber security is our top to the world. We increased our fiber line length, which was 88
priority with the digital leap in 6G technologies.” Expressing that thousand kilometers in Turkey, by 5.5 times, to 488 thousand
the production, sharing and access to information has reached kilometers. Of course, it is not enough, we will increase it much

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