Page 167 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Belgian Institute for Postal Services and The Belgian government has opened a consultation
Telecommunications (BIPT) has granted Telenet covering the development of broadband infrastructure
permission to reorganize its 2G and 3G frequency in so-called white areas, where a network capable
allocations while the regulator finalizes details of of delivering download rates of at least 100Mbps
Belgium the new 900MHz and 1800MHz permits obtained in is not available and is unlikely to be deployed in the
this summer’s multi-band spectrum auction. After foreseeable future. EUR40.7 million (USD40.7 million)
consultation with the BIPT, Telenet had asked to has been set aside to promote network rollouts in these
migrate services to the 1765MHz-1785MHz/1860MHz- underserved areas, with telcos able to bid to take part in
1880MHz frequency range between 28 November the subsidized rollout scheme.
and 11 December 2022, and the 1945.0MHz- (September 9, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
1959.8MHz/2135.0MHz-2149.8MHz range between 24
October and 6 November. Although Telenet should be Following the conclusion of the multi-band spectrum
able to make the switch overnight, a transition period auction in July, the Belgian Institute for Postal Services
of two weeks is foreseen for each band, during which and Telecommunications (BIPT) has adopted a series of
the amount of spectrum used for each base station decisions granting frequency user rights in the 700MHz
must not exceed 20MHz duplex for the 1800MHz and 3600MHz bands. In addition to the incumbent
band and 14.8MHz for the 2100MHz band. The BIPT mobile network operators Orange, Belgium, Proximus
determined the move facilitates the reorganization and Telenet, two new entrants – Citymesh Mobile (a
of the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, freeing up the joint venture between Citymesh and Romanian-backed
1760MHz-1765MHz/1855MHz-1860MHz range for Digi Communications) and IT services provider Network
allocation to Citymesh Mobile and the 1935.3MHz- Research Belgium (NRB) – also succeeded in securing
1945MHz/2125.3MHz-2135MHz frequency block for spectrum in the bands. The BIPT has announced
Proximus. (October 21, 2022) www.commsupdate.com frequencies in the 700MHz band will be distributed as
follows, with user rights valid from 1 September 2022 until
Telecoms regulator the Belgian Institute for Postal 31 August 2042: Citymesh Mobile, which agreed to pay
Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) has published EUR19.335 million (USD19.4 million), has been assigned
a draft Royal Decree to enable operators other than the ranges 703MHz-708MHz/758MHz-763MHz;
Citymesh and Gridmax to acquire a 3410MHz- Telenet, EUR21.34 million, 708MHz-713MHz/763MHz-
3430MHz frequency block, after the two companies 768MHz; Orange Belgium, EUR122.86 million, 713MHz-
failed to bid for the spectrum in June’s auction. The 723MHz/768MHz-778MHz; and Proximus, EUR122.87
proposal amends the Royal Decree of 28 November million, 723MHz-733MHz/778MHz-788MHz. As for
2021 concerning spectrum allocations in the 3600MHz the 3600MHz band, the following spectrum has been
range, which reserved the frequencies for Citymesh and allocated with user rights valid from 1 September 2022
Gridmax to enable their continued operation of WiMAX until 6 May 2040: Citymesh Mobile 3430MHz-3480MHz
and LTE sites in several communes following expiry of (EUR30.99 million); 3480MHz-3580MHz (EUR55.8
their existing user rights in May 2025. Given the 100MHz million); Network Research Belgium 3580MHz-
cap on spectrum holdings in the band, Orange Belgium, 3600MHz (EUR10.97 million); Orange Belgium:
Proximus and Telenet will be unable to take part in the 3600MHz-3700MHz (EUR54.85 million); and Proximus
new tender. The consultation will close on 21 October. 3700MHz-3800MHz (EUR56.32 million).
(September 26, 2022) www.commsupdate.com (September 1, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Authority for the Regulation and Oversight of illegal transfer is the revocation of the license. That is the
Telecommunications and Transport (Autoridad de procedure that is followed.’ It is understood that Balesia
Regulacion y Fiscalizacion de Telecomunicaciones y submitted fresh documentation on 15 September, in an
Transportes, ATT) has threatened to revoke the mobile effort to push the deal through, only to antagonize the
Bolivia license held by NuevaTel PCS (Viva), after blocking the authorities when an unnamed Balesia representative
unit’s sale in August this year. The cellco was sold to
asserted that the deal had concluded while attending the
Balesia Technologies by US-based Trilogy International ExpoCruz 2022 event last month. The deal – which was
Partners (TIP) for an undisclosed fee, in a deal that first announced in March 2022 – involved the transfer
ostensibly closed in the second quarter of 2022. of Trilogy’s 71.5% indirect equity interest in its Bolivian
However, the industry regulator stepped in to block the subsidiary to Balesia, for a nominal purchase price.
transaction, citing a lack of transparency. Nestor Rios, Peru-based Balesia owns and operates cell towers and
Executive Director of ATT, has informed local journalists fiber infrastructure in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua,
that Viva owes the government unpaid fees of BOB45.7 Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
million (USD6.4 million) adding: ‘The sanction for an (October 4, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

167 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022