Page 176 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

firm Helios Investment Partners. Sources speaking to by an investor that did not align with the government’s
Business Daily, said the equity firm has lost interest due plans going forward for Telkom Kenya. Telkom
to the failure to merge Telkom with Airtel, a move to Kenya is rooted in third place with around 5.2 million
create a more competitive entity against market leader connections, up from 3.3 million in 2016. The merger
Safaricom. Sources also said the government had between Telkom and Airtel collapsed in 2020 with both
priority to acquire the shares after the investment firm parties pointing the finger at regulatory delays.
revealed its plans to quit the operator. The government (October 4, 2022) Ecofin Agency
wanted to keep the majority stake from being bought

The telecoms watchdog the Communications required to pay the initial part of the fee to the state
Regulatory Authority (Rysiu Reguliavimo Tarnyba, budget within one month, following which the RRT will
RRT) has confirmed the results of its auction of 5G officially issue the permits to use the radio frequencies.
mobile spectrum in the 700MHz band that started Spectrum licenses are valid for an initial period of 20
Lithuania in May and concluded last month. The tender years. Winning bidders are subject to certain rollout and
comprised the sale of one 2×10MHz block (713MHz-
service provision obligations, including a requirement to
723MHz/768MHz-778MHz) and two lots of 2×5MHz launch commercial 5G services in at least one of the
(723MHz-728MHz/778MHz-783MHz and 728MHz- country’s five largest cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda,
733MHz/783MHz-788MHz), with initial prices set at Siauliai and Panevezys) within six months of receiving
EUR5 million (USD4.9 million) and EUR3 million per lot, their licenses, and in all five cities by 31 December
respectively. Telia Lietuva was the highest bidder, paying 2023. An additional 5G spectrum auction comprising
EUR23 million for the 2×10MHz block, while Tele2 bid frequencies in the 3.5GHz band also concluded last
EUR3.9 million and Bite Lithuania paid EUR3 million month.
for the 2×5MHz allocations. Each winner will now be (September 9, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority which will level the playing field and yield effective
(MACRA) has officially awarded a mobile operating communication services for the ICT consumer,’ said
license to Malcel, as the new company seeks to Minister of Information Gospel Kazako, adding: ‘I
compete with established mobile network operators urge Malcel to roll out their services with speed as
Malawi Airtel and Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM). Capital consumers are anxious to see new services … My
plea to Malcel is that you must not get into the trap of
Radio Malawi reports that the award of three licences
to Malcel will enable it to install mobile phone towers, concentrating your operations in urban areas because
and provide mobile, ICT and broadband services. rural people also need ICT services.’ The development
Malcel’s founder and CEO Bonface Ndawala said that follows a report in May that another company – Nyasa
the company plans to begin the rollout of its network Mobile – had announced its intention to roll out services
this year ahead of a scheduled launch of operations by by the end of this year. The firm, which is a subsidiary
October 2023. Malcel will invest around USD280 million of Nyasa Manufacturing Company, has allegedly been
in its operations and aims to roll out 1,350 mobile sites in discussions with UK-based Vodafone Group about
over five years. The operator is 60% owned by Eferio a potential strategic partnership. Numerous attempts
Communications, with 30% held by local company by the government over the last 20 years to introduce
Bedrock Holdings and the remaining 10% by local and much-needed competition to the mobile sector have so
international shareholders. ‘Let me take this opportunity far failed. The market is characterized by high tariffs and
to congratulate Malcel for successfully acquiring the poor service quality, with mobile penetration standing at
mobile network license, it is my hope that this will just 59% of the population at the end of March 2022.
induce competition in the telecommunications industry (October 26, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

Víctor Manuel Perez Diaz, the President of the cannot continue, especially when the 3.5GHz band
Communications and Transportation Commission of is about to be tendered … it should not be considered
the Chamber of Deputies, has informed Milenio that his a privilege, but a tool for knowledge, business and all
department will push to reduce the price of spectrum kinds of transactions.’ The article also quotes Alejandro
Mexico rights in Mexico, which he believes continue to hamper Navarrete Torres, the Head of the Radio Spectrum Unit
the deployment of 5G in the country. He commented: ‘In at the Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto
terms of competition, we are far behind, and this situation Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT), who noted: ‘We

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