Page 153 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

that most operators would move to packet switched auction by the end of the year, the Economic Times
technologies by the end of 2019, greatly reducing writes, citing a senior DoT official. According to the
termination costs. In the two years following the ruling, source, the DoT’s Digital Communications Commission
however, the TRAI has found that ‘a large number of is expected to green light the recommended pricing for
customers are still served by circuit switched networks the airwaves later this month and the regulator expects
for handling of voice calls’. Confirming these findings, to complete the auction by 30 November. The sale will
the TRAI added that stakeholders have shown that see over 8,000MHz of airwaves put up for sale across
although cellcos have invested heavily in 4G networks the 700MHz, 800MHz, 1800MHz, 2300MHz, 2500MHz
they have yet to migrate the bulk of their subscribers and 3400MHz-3600MHz ranges including 4G and
to VoLTE technology. The consultation paper asks 5G-compatible airwaves. Commenting on concerns
whether there is a need for the introduction of BAK over participation in the sale, given the industry’s
should be postponed, and on what basis the new current financial struggles and complaints from sector
adoption date should be decided; the closing date for stakeholders about the ‘exorbitant’ prices set for the
submissions is 18 October. (September 19, 2019) telegeography.com spectrum, the official said: ‘There may be a case where
there are no takers for a particular band, but we don’t
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is believe there won’t be any demand’.
aiming to launch the long-delayed mass spectrum (September 11, 2019) telegeography.com

The Liberia Telecommunications Authority concluded a capacity in regulating the Telecommunications sector.
training workshop on International Telecommunications Most countries have spectrum monitoring equipment,
Union’s (ITU) Spectrum Management System For but the system is being upgraded to version 5 for
Developing Countries (SMS4DC), co-organized by the greater efficiency in spectrum governance. LTA
Liberia ITU. The SMS4DC workshop which is targeted towards Chairman Ivan Brown expressed its gratitude to the ITU
the Spectrum Managers and the users of SMS4DC for the opportunity to host the workshop. According to
tool (both current and prospective). The week-long him, the workshop addresses mitigating interferences,
training brought together about 100 participants from frequency allocation, valuation and consolidating
English-speaking countries across Africa to build their cross-border coordination of spectrum management.
capacities and skills to effectively use the SMS4DC “The workshop is a demonstration of the commitment
tool for efficient spectrum management in their of the LTA to achieve the standards of the ITU in
respective countries. The SMS4DC workshop is an more efficiently and effectively managing our scarce
historic development for Liberia’s Telecommunications spectrum resource,” he said. Participants said they
sector as it the country’s first ITU-organized spectrum came away feeling more equipped in addressing issues
workshop, which will pave the way for more ITU of spectrum management in their respective countries.
sponsored training programs in Liberia to build human (September 23, 2019) allafrica.com

The Luxembourg Institute of Regulation (Institut freeing the band up for 5G use. In other Luxembourg-
Luxembourgeois de Regulation, ILR) has issued a centric news, state-backed full-service operator POST
public consultation regarding the modification of its Luxembourg has confirmed its intention to launch
existing radiofrequency plan. The consultation, which commercial 5G services in 2020. The operator notes
Luxembourg commenced on 16 September and will run until 18 that it has achieved downlink speeds in excess of
1Gbps during its 5G trials, with latency of less than ten
October, factors in a series of European Commission
(EC) decisions regarding spectrum harmonization milliseconds. TeleGeography notes that fellow operator
which have entered force since August 2018. The Tango previously announced that it had become the
spectrum bands included in the consultation are as country’s first operator to have an operational 5G
follows: 24.25GHz-27.5GHz; 3400MHz-3800MHz; and core network, trialing the 3.6GHz system in Bertrange
874MHz-876MHz/915MHz-921MHz. The use of non- in May this year. Rounding out the country’s cellcos,
specific short-range devices in the latter frequency Orange Luxembourg has stated its intention to utilize
bands will lapse on 1 July 2020 while the 3400MHz- 3.6GHz and 26GHz spectrum to support its own 5G
3800MHz band will no longer be allocated to fixed networks, although a provisional launch date has not
satellite services from 1 January 2020, potentially been disclosed. (September 23, 2019) telegeography.com

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