Page 151 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

InfraVia to set up a partnership aimed at accelerating The infrastructure company will then enter into a ‘very
fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) rollouts outside very- long term service agreement’ with Iliad, under which
densely populated areas of France (representing it will provide all access and information services for
around 26 million lines). Under the agreement, Iliad the co-financed sockets to Iliad and other third-party
will establish a new infrastructure company to manage operators. The deal is subject to customary regulatory
its fiber lines, and will transfer 51% of the new entity approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter
to InfraVia for an enterprise value of EUR600 million. of 2019. (September 3, 2019) telegeography.com

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital underserved regions is being driven forward with full
Infrastructure (BMVI) has presented a strategy for force.” In return for making the commitments, the
nationwide mobile communications coverage to operators have been given improved payment terms
accelerate the planning, approval and development for 5G spectrum, with fees now able to be made over
Germany of 4G and 5G networks. The five-point plan focuses annual instalments until 2030. In a statement, Telekom
Germany CEO Dirk Wossner hailed the concession for
on: measures to close gaps in 4G network coverage;
the acceleration of Germany as a 5G ‘market leader’; delivering “planning security” to the operator, enabling
the strengthening of transparency in infrastructure it to “get started with 5G”. “We want to expand 5G not
development and the use of existing resources such only fast, but especially in related areas. To close white
as state-owned properties and infrastructures; the spots is especially important. Because with that, the
simplification of approval procedures; and providing basis is laid, that in the future also 5G will be expanded
information via an electronic portal. The presentation there.” Across the new agreement and terms signed
of the strategy follows the recent conclusion of as part of the 5G auction, Germany’s operators have
the Federal Network Agency’s (FNA’s) wireless vowed to provide LTE in 99 per cent of households
spectrum auction, which included extensive coverage nationwide by the end of 2020 and meet the same
obligations for license winners, and a recently agreed target in each state by the end of 2021; build at least
expansion program between mobile operators and 1,400 masts accessible to any operator; meet minimum
the government. ‘In our country, uninterrupted surfing data speed targets across major transport routes; and
and telephoning must come naturally – and not in the install base stations in specific areas to close coverage
distant future, but as quickly as possible,’ commented gaps. (September 9, 2019) mobileworldlive.com
Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer, adding: ‘By
closing the gaps in the 4G network, we are laying the The Federal Network Agency (FNA, known locally as
foundation for nationwide 5G expansion and thus for the Bundesnetzagentur or BNetzA) has revealed it
the digital transformation of the economy and society. has assigned 3.6GHz spectrum acquired at auction
One thing must be clear: where there is no mast, there earlier this year, in response to an application by
is no reception. That is why we need more acceptance Telekom Deutschland (TD). Following the conclusion
in infrastructure development. Our strategy creates the of the auction in June, the four license winners – TD,
basis for both.’ (September 10, 2019) telegeography.com Vodafone, Telefonica and Drillisch Netz – were given the
opportunity to come to an agreement on the position of
German authorities and the country’s mobile operators the abstract frequency blocks they had acquired in the
agreed to legally binding coverage targets in return bands. As they did not reach complete agreement, the
for extended payment terms for the acquisition of FNA decided on the allocation on 2 August. The FNA
5G spectrum licenses. The pact follows months of says that applications for assignment have also been
arguments and scathing criticism of the conditions received from Drillisch Netz and Vodafone, and are
imposed by authorities alongside its auction to to be decided on shortly. ‘Once it has been assigned,
allocate 5G suitable spectrum, which raised €6.6 the acquired spectrum can be used for 5G across the
billion. Representatives from Deutsche Telekom, country. It is then up to the companies to provide fast
newcomer 1&1 Drillisch, Vodafone Germany and broadband coverage. Network operators can finalize
Telefonica Deutschland signed the agreement with their network plans and roll out their networks rapidly,’
the Bundesministerium fur Verkehr und digitale explained the FNA’s President Jochen Homann.
Infrastruktur, the government agency responsible for License obligations include coverage of at least
telecoms infrastructure. Andreas Scheuer, minister 100Mbps for 98% of households in each federal state
for transport and digital infrastructure, said under the and for all motorways as well as the most important
deal, 99 per cent of the country’s households will have federal roads and rail routes by the end of 2022. By the
reliable voice and data services by the end of 2020. “We end of 2024, all other federal roads must have coverage
now have the legally binding commitment of the mobile of at least 100Mbps, while state roads, seaports and
network operators,” he said. “More than 1,400 new major waterways, and all other railway lines must have
mobile masts will be built. This is a clear signal that coverage of at least 50Mbps.
the expansion of mobile communications in previously (September 6, 2019) telegeography.com
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