Page 86 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

being, as international agreements regarding the 3.5GHz spectrum for faster wireless internet services.
station outweigh the government’s aims to free up the (September 6, 2021) commsupdate.com

The Federal Executive Council has approved the spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission
‘National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Networks for (NCC) to award to mobile operators that meet all the
Nigeria’s Digital Economy’. The 5G policy was approved required conditions. (September 10, 2021) commsupdate.com
Nigeria on 8 September 2021, following its presentation by The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will
the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy,
Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami. The National Policy was hold a public inquiry on three draft regulations and
developed over a period of two years, due to the need guidelines concerning the country’s telecoms market.
for extensive stakeholder engagement and the need Interested stakeholders have been invited to make
to ensure adequate public awareness, and it also took written submissions on the Registration of Telephone
into account the report of the three-month 5G trials Subscribers Regulations, the SIM Replacement
that commenced on the 25 November 2019 to study Guidelines and the Spectrum Trading Guidelines by
the health and security implications of deploying 5G 24 September 2021. They have also been invited to
in Nigeria. The implementation of the National Policy participate in the subsequent public inquiries which
is with immediate effect and the National Frequency have been scheduled for 5 October.
Management Council (NFMC) will soon release (September 2, 2021) commsupdate.com

With Norway’s National Communications Authority The National Communications Authority (Nasjonal
Nasjonal kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) set to kommunikasjonsmyndighet, Nkom) has published
begin its auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 2.6GHz feedback from its consultation on the opening up of the
and 3.6GHz bands later this month, it has reiterated 3.8GHz-4.2GHz spectrum band for local 5G networks.
Norway that those companies that do secure frequencies will In releasing its preliminary assessments based on
the inputs from interested parties, the regulator said
be able to reduce the price they pay by committing to
expand broadband coverage in rural areas. In line with that its initial plans had been ‘well received’, while it
this, the regulator has now published a preliminary noted there had also been ‘good and constructive
overview of the buildings which currently lack access suggestions that [it] will take a closer look at’. As
to broadband at downlink/uplink speeds of at least previously reported by CommsUpdate, in June 2021
100Mbps/10Mbps, noting that winners of frequencies the Nkom proposed opening up the 3.8GHz-4.2GHz
will be able to save as much as NOK560 million (USD65 spectrum band for local 5G networks, saying it planned
million) – dependent on how much spectrum they to grant two different types of licenses for local
win – by rolling out their networks at these locations. networks, those being: a low-power license intended
According to the Nkom, by offering a reduction to for local private mobile networks; and a high-power
companies in this manner, the body aims to encourage concession intended for the provision of services such
the development of broadband access in unserved and as fixed-wireless broadband in larger outdoor areas,
underserved areas that are not expected to benefit from including industrial parks and harbors. In the latest
commercial network rollouts without state support. It development regarding the matter, the Nkom noted
has, however, noted that the locations in its preliminary that it plans to open applications for spectrum in the
overview are not final, saying it expects to update the 3.8GHz-4.2GHz spectrum band in the first half of 2022,
information later this year, once data from its annual while further work on determining the final regulation
coverage survey is ready. regarding such frequency allocations will be carried
(September 7, 2021) commsupdate.com out ‘during the autumn’. (September 2, 2021) commsupdate.com

The National Telecommunications Council (Consejo formally awarded 1700MHz/2100MHz 4G licenses,
Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, Conatel) has renewed each paying USD45 million for the frequencies. It was
the 4G AWS licenses held by Tigo and Claro. According confirmed that the two winning bidders had paid their
to La Nacion, both operators have committed to fulfilling license fees in full by February 2016, paving the way for
Paraguay increased ‘social commitments’ as part of their renewal them to stage commercial launches in April that year.
terms. These conditions relate to equipping rural
All licenses issued by Conatel are valid for five years,
telecentres with internet connectivity, equipment and but available for renewal upon request. (September 2, 2021)
furniture. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms commsupdate.com
Database, in December 2015 Tigo and Claro were
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