Page 154 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A statement published by the Malaysian by 2023. However, the NFCP announcement generated
Communications and Multimedia Commission something of a social media ‘storm’, specifically:
(MCMC) has sought to address ‘statements spread claims that the NFCP is a ‘mega-project’; suggestions
through social media’ in the wake of the recent that the cost of the project has increased from MYR1
Malaysia announcement that the implementation of the billion to MYR21.6 billion since the announcement was
‘National Fiberization and Connectivity Plan’ (‘NFCP’)
first made as part of the government’s 2019 budget;
has been approved by the Malaysian government. Last and allegations that a company called OPCOM would
week, the MCMC confirmed that the government had be the biggest beneficiary of the NFCP. In response,
given the go ahead to the NFCP, a five-year plan due to the regulator has now clarified that the MYR1 billion
run between 2019 and 2023 which is expected to cost figure mentioned in the budget had specifically referred
MYR21.6 billion (USD5.1 billion) and provide ‘digital to the initial allocation for the project, with this meant
connectivity that is robust, pervasive, high quality and to fund ‘selected infrastructure projects’ this year.
affordable for all Malaysians’. While the NFCP will Meanwhile, the MCMC also stressed that, as the NFCP
focus on fiber infrastructure, the MCMC notes that will comprise ‘many’ infrastructure projects, including
alternative technologies, such as wireless and satellite some financed by licensees themselves, utilizing
networks, will also be deployed ‘wherever conducive’. different technologies, there could be ‘no specific
The NFCP’s main targets include the provision of an company dealing with a specific technology can be the
average speed of 30Mbps in 98% of populated areas biggest beneficiary of the NFCP’.
and the availability of gigabit services in selected (September 3, 2019) telegeography.com
industrial areas by the year 2020 and all state capitals

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) mobile market leader Radiomovil Dipsa (Telcel). As per
has confirmed that it will seek to auction 5G-suitable IFT documentation, the spectrum transfer means that
spectrum in the 614MHz to 698MHz (‘600MHz’) band Telcel will control 30.79% of Mexico’s mobile spectrum,
in 2020. The commitment forms part of the regulator’s ahead of Telefonica Moviles Mexico (Movistar, 17.36%),
Mexico ‘Programa Anual de Uso y Aprovechamiento de Bandas but behind AT&T Mexico (33.63%). Despite Telcel’s
de Frecuencias 2020’ (PABF 2020). In addition, the IFT dominant market share – it controls more than 60%
notes that the 1900MHz and 3.3GHz bands have also of the wireless market – the watchdog judged that
been earmarked for nationwide mobile use and are the spectrum transfer will have minimal impact on the
included in the same frequency plan. In March 2018 competitive environment. The transaction represents
the IFT approved the relocation of 48 digital television Telcel’s second notable 2.5GHz spectrum acquisition
channels in the 614MHz-698MHz band to pave the way in recent years. In July 2017 the cellco closed the
for a ‘second digital dividend’. All outstanding 600MHz acquisition of 2×30MHz blocks of 2.5GHz spectrum from
spectrum-holders were successfully migrated to other Grupo MVS; the frequencies covered 1,575 localities,
bands by October 2018 and the watchdog claimed that equivalent to coverage of 75.41% of the national
this timeline made it the first country in the world to population. For its part, Ultravision awarded Nokia a
fully release the 600MHz band for mobile broadband contract to deploy an LTE-A network encompassing
use. (September 23, 2019) telegeography.com 700 sites across Puebla, Tlaxcala, Aguascalientes,
Veracruz, Morelos, Guerrero and Jalisco back in March
The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto 2017. The service went live in September 2018. The ISP
Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has voted in favor has clarified to El Economista that the sale represents
of transferring ten 2.5GHz licenses from Mexican fixed- a ‘frequency readjustment’ and its LTE-A services are
wireless access (FWA) provider Ultravision (Ultranet) to unaffected. (September 13, 2019) telegeography.com

The government of Mozambique says that telecoms being injected via the Universal Access Fund (Fundo
services are now available to 85% of the population, do Servico de Acesso Universal, FSAU). According
up from 65% in 2014. A report from Weetracker cites to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database,
Pedro Ingles, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry Mozambique is home to three wireless operators –
of Transport and Communications (MTC), as saying Vodacom, TMCEL and Movitel – while the fixed line
Mozambique that the authorities are supporting operators to reach sector is dominated by TMCEL.
100% coverage with their 4G networks, with capital (September 3, 2019) telegeography.com

154 SEPTEMBER 2019