Page 70 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Middle East Operators ‘Playing Key Role in Global Connectivity’

The cable providers located in the Middle range of use cases – from traditional global connectivity. Our location means we
East are uniquely positioned to meet the voice and data transmission to gaming, AI provide the most direct routes between Asia
new exploding demand for high-quality development and healthcare – they need and Europe, with our GBI Smart Network
connectivity in the region and beyond, a their connectivity providers to ensure the runs through Turkey to major European
report said. Subsea cables are the backbone most direct route between endpoints to points of presence and also through the
of modern communications and are of vital lower latency and optimized connectivity. Red Sea to Italy. “We’re the connectivity
importance to economics across the world, Providers which possess a multilayer hub for the GCC region and much further
according a recently released whitepaper terrestrial and subsea cable meshed smart afield. It’s a really exciting time to be in
titled “The role of subsea cables in the network are best suited to deliver, with the connectivity space and there’s plenty
economic transformation in the Middle those in the Middle East found to be even of opportunities for wholesalers and
East” from Analysys Mason, a top TMT more equipped through ideal geographical enterprises to deliver for their customers
management consulting firm. Responsible placement to bridge East to the West and users,” Oztelcan added. Brendan
for carrying the majority of the world’s and North to South, the report said. Gulf Press, CCO of GBI, said: “The GCC region
data and voice transmissions, there are Bridge International (GBI), has responded has seen huge growth in recent years and
more than 390 in operation globally, with to the whitepaper, which explores what’s there are still significant opportunities
30 in the Mena region. The criticalness of causing the surge in demand for high- as smart connectivity leads to a further
such infrastructure is due to the rapidly quality connectivity and the opportunities acceleration in digital transformation. The
increasing demand for the number of for wholesalers and enterprises. Cengiz GCC is developing as a hub for access to
individuals using internet grew at a CAGR Oztelcan, CEO of GBI, said: “The Analysys cloud services, enabling businesses and
of 8% to 56 million, while international Mason whitepaper sets out just how vital governments to develop and benefit from
bandwidth grew with a CAGR of 46% subsea cables are to global economies an expanding suite of services. “Now
– each individual is demanding more and the continued development of all is the time for telcos and enterprises to
bandwidth. The rising demand for more nations across the planet. High quality focus on optimizing connectivity to build
bandwidth coincides with a need for low connectivity, which means low latency and a competitive advantage as the market
latency, highly reliable connectivity. These reliable connections, is essential to meeting appetite for new service grows rapidly.
connectivity characteristics are among the new demands and that requires continued It’s the providers that can deliver trusted
most vital factors in enhancing network investment into cable infrastructure.” “GBI and optimized connectivity now that will
performance. With users now requiring is among the most connected carrier’s provide a platform for digital services and
global networks to support mission carriers in the region, moreover we possess regional growth prospects.”
critical tasks and an ever-more diverse all the provisions required for high quality

PTA Concludes Spectrum Auction in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

The Pakistan Telecommunication 18 rounds of bidding. Upon completion, 1.2MHz bandwidth in the 1800MHz band.
Authority (PTA) has confirmed that Zong emerged as the winner of 10MHz Furthermore, the PTA said that Telenor
the auction of spectrum for Next (2×5MHz) in the 1800MHz band having was declared the winner of frequencies
Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) in the agreed to pay USD14.398 million for the in the 2100MHz band, securing 15MHz of
administrative regions of Azad Jammu & frequencies. The regulator noted in its spectrum ‘against the set base price’. The
Kashmir (AJK, colloquially referred to as press release that the 1800MHz spectrum spectrum sold constitutes 50% of the total
Azad Kashmir) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), sold comprises ‘85% of the total offered offered spectrum in the 2100MHz band, it
was completed on 28 September 2021. spectrum in the said band for AJK and GB’. noted. In total, the auctions raised more
The e-auction was contested by CMPak In addition, the PTA confirmed that Telenor than USD30 million for state coffers.
(Zong) and PMCL (Jazz) and spanned over Pakistan, Ufone and Zong have also won

BTRC to Hold 5G Auction in December; 60MHz in 3.5GHz Band Awarded to Teletalk

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Business Standard writes. Shahidul Alam, owned operator Teletalk to facilitate the
Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is planning director-general of the BTRC’s Spectrum 5G introduction. The BTRC will distribute
to hold an auction for 5G spectrum Department, was cited as saying that the the remaining 400MHz of spectrum in
in December 2021, with a 5G service regulator has awarded 60MHz of airwaves the 3.5GHz band to other operators via a
launch currently slated by 2023, The in the 3.5GHz band to Bangladeshi state- tender.
70 SEPTEMBER 2021