Page 139 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Yemen Telecom Ministry renews the License of SabaFon Mobile Company for

Two Additional Years

A press release issued by the Ministry systems and enhance and expand its called on the world and all international
of Communications and Information services. And the license has been renewed community organizations, especially
Technology indicated that Eng. for the company as a licensed legal the United Nations and the international
Misfer Abdullah Al-Numair, Minister company and one of the mobile operators telecommunication authorities, to assume
of Communications and Information and telecommunications services. Al- their moral responsibility and intervene
Technology, signed the agreement to Namir pointed out that the ministry immediately to stop the destruction
renew the license of SabaFon Mobile deals with all mobile phone companies of the telecommunications sector and
Company for the years 2020-2021 as a in the Republic of Yemen with one systematically target towers, networks
final period for the work of the second mechanism and without discrimination. and telephone exchanges. Developing
generation technology during which the The Minister urged SabaFon and all its services and moving towards 4G
transition to the fourth generation. The licensed telecommunications companies technologies over the past five years.
statement said that the renewal of the to expand their coverage and maintain and We also call on them to raise the urban
license granted to the company came replace the stations and towers that were imposed on civil-use communications
after several meetings with the company destroyed by the aggression in order to equipment as essential services affecting
and under an official request submitted by improve and improve the communications the lives of civilians and daily life, and
SabaFon Company to renew the license of services provided to citizens in all a right guaranteed by the covenants.
the second generation and application for governorates of the Republic, thus reducing Human rights and international laws.
a license to operate the fourth generation, the poor coverage and the low quality of According to the agreement signed by
which the company submitted to the telecommunications services suffered by SabaFon Chairman, the company was
ministry last June. Eng. Misfer Abdullah them. Citizen, noting the role provided by all granted a renewal of the mobile license
Al-Numair, Minister of Communications telecommunications companies in order for two years until the end of 2021 for
and Information Technology, pointed to continue to provide communications the second generation as a final period
out the importance of this agreement for services to Yemeni citizens in various for this technology to move to the fourth
SabaFon to give it the opportunity to move governorates of the Republic in light generation in line with the technological
to 4G technology and develop its operating of the aggression and siege. He also developments.

Mobile Operators to Disclose Their Impact on Climate

Many of the world’s largest mobile said, “[This] announcement marks the Corporation, KPN, KT Corporation, LG Uplus,
operator groups have agreed to start start of a collaborative action by the mobile Magyar Telekom, Millicom International,
disclosing their climate impacts as part a industry to tackle the climate emergency, MTN Group, MTS, NTT DOCOMO, Oi
new initiative led by the GSMA. More than demonstrating how the private sector Móvel, Orange Group, Proximus, Reliance
50 mobile operators – which together can show leadership and responsibility in Jio, Rogers Communications, Singtel,
account for more than two-thirds of addressing one of the gravest challenges SK Telecom, SoftBank Corp., Spark New
mobile connections globally – are now facing our planet. “The mobile industry will Zealand, Sprint Corporation, StarHub, STC,
disclosing their climate impacts, energy form the backbone of the future economy Sunrise, Swisscom, T-Mobile USA, Taiwan
and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and therefore has a unique opportunity to Mobile, Tele2 AB, Telecom Italia, Telefónica,
via the internationally recognized CDP drive change across multiple sectors and in Telekom Austria, Telenor Group, Telia
global disclosure system. The move will collaboration with our suppliers, investors Company, Telkom SA, Telstra Corporation,
enable full transparency for investors and and customers.” Paul Simpson, CEO of TELUS Communications, TIM Brasil, True
customers involved in the mobile sector, CDP, said that through the disclosures, Corp., Turkcell, Verizon, Vodacom Group,
the GSMA said, noting that many of the “mobile operators will be able to measure Vodafone Group and Zain Group. The
companies are disclosing for the first time. and understand their environmental GSMA said the new pathway will help
The next step will see the development of impact, helping them to build sustainability mobile operators set their own targets
a decarburization pathway for the mobile into the heart of their businesses.” GSMA faster. However, it noted that the timescale
industry, aligned with the Science-Based operator members that are disclosing via at which individual companies reach the
Targets initiative (SBTi), to be in place CDP include América Móvil, AT&T Inc., target will depend on a number of factors,
by February 2020. This will include the Axiata Group, Bell Canada, Bharti Airtel, BT including their geographic location and
development of an industry-wide plan to Group, China Mobile, China Telecom, China their ability to access renewable energy.
achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 Unicom, Chunghwa Telecom, Deutsche The GSMA expects that some companies
in line with the Paris Agreement. Mats Telekom, DNA Plc, Elisa Corporation, Far will meet the net-zero target significantly
Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, EasTone, Globe Telecom, Inmarsat, KDDI ahead of the 2050 deadline.
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