Page 78 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY ACTIVITIES BEYOND

THE SAMENA REGION

Applications are now being accepted by the Australian to begin in late November. As previously reported by
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for CommsUpdate, earlier this month the Communications
its upcoming auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the Minister Paul Fletcher confirmed that allocation limits
850MHz/900MHz band. In a press release regarding will apply to the amount of low-band spectrum that
Australia the development, the regulator chairperson Nerida mobile network operators (MNOs) can acquire in the
O’Loughlin said the allocation of 5G-optimised upcoming frequency auction. Bidders will be restricted
spectrum is expected to support new and existing to holding no more than 82MHz of licensed sub-1GHz
operators to better deliver services across regional, spectrum in ‘the most populous areas of Australia’,
rural and remote areas of the country, as well as in while to encourage investment in the more sparsely
major population centers. With the ACMA planning populated regional areas, a slightly higher limit of
to auction off a total of 70MHz of paired spectrum in 92MHz of sub-1GHz spectrum has been set.
the 850MHz/900MHz band, the application period will (September 1, 2021) commsupdate.com
run until 21 September, with the sale itself scheduled

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and High them to provide their subscribers with more efficient,
Technologies has extended the license agreements high-quality and professional services using new
of mobile network operators (MNOs) Azercell, Bakcell generation technologies and technological standards,’
and Azerfon (Nar) for a period of ten years. ‘These the Ministry noted, adding: ‘Along with this, the
Azerbaijan agreements include licenses for the types of activities issuance of licenses will contribute to the development
for mobile communication services – technological of a sustainable and secure digital infrastructure in
standards 2G (GSM), 3G (UMTS) and 4G (LTE),’ the the country, as well as to the acceleration of digital
Ministry announced in a brief statement. ‘The issuance transformation.’
of appropriate licenses to mobile operators will allow (September 10, 2021) commsupdate.com

The National Telecommunications Agency (Agencia 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz bands, as well as 26GHz millimeter
Nacional de Telecomunicacoes, Anatel) has confirmed wave (mmWave) spectrum. All spectrum bands will be
that it approved the notice for the country’s long- divided into national and regional blocks – apart from
delayed 5G auction on 24 September, paving the way for the 2.3GHz band, which will be solely available on a
Brazil the spectrum sale to commence later this year. Would- regional basis. As per the terms of the auction, winning
bidders must offer 5G services in all state capitals and
be bidders must submit their applications by 27 October
and ‘price proposals’ will be analyzed on 4 November. the Federal District (Distrito Federal) by 31 July 2022.
The 5G auction will include frequencies in the 700MHz, (September 27, 2021) commsupdate.com

Chilean telecoms watchdog the Department the CGR in May, but were delayed due to the resignation
of Telecommunications (Subsecretaria de of the Undersecretary of Telecommunications Pamela
Telecomunicaciones, Subtel) has announced that Gidi in June 2021. With the appointment of a new
the licenses it awarded in February this year for 5G undersecretary that month, the official withdrew the
Chile spectrum in the 700MHz, 1700MHz and 3.5GHz ranges licence awards for review before re-submitting them
in August. Commenting on the development, the new
have now been approved by the Comptroller General
of the Republic (Contraloria General de la Republica, Undersecretary of Telecommunications, Francisco
CGR), enabling the licensees to begin utilizing those Moreno, was quoted as saying: ‘The fifth generation of
airwaves. Awards for spectrum in the 26GHz band are mobile communications technology not only represents
still awaiting approval, however. Diario Financiero writes a substantive leap in terms of performance with
that the licenses were initially expected to be greenlit by respect to … 4G networks, but its deployment will have

78 SEPTEMBER 2021