Page 107 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020
P. 107

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

                         The Citizen.  The original deadline  for  mobile phone   meet quality of service (QoS) standards in Q3 2019. The
                         customers to register their details was 31 December   penalties have been issued to Airtel Tanzania (TZS1.6
                         2019 but has been pushed back to enable the remaining   billion),  Tanzania Telecommunication  Corporation
                         subscribers to conclude the process, following which   (TZS1.6 billion), Viettel Tanzania (operating as Halotel,
                         any unregistered SIM cards will be disconnected. In a   TZS900 million), Zanzibar Telecommunication (TZS850
                         separate development, the Tanzania Communications   million), Millicom Tanzania (Tigo, TZS500 million) and
                         Regulatory  Authority  (TCRA)  has  fined  six  operators   Vodacom (TZS450 million).
                         a total of TZS5.9 billion (USD2.6 million) for failing to   (January 2, 2020) commsupdate.com




                         The  telecom regulator has set up a  working panel   wait and take part, rather than joining the first batch’s
                         responsible  for preparing  the auction  process  of the   bid on Feb 16.  In  a  related development,  Advanced
                         3400-3700-megahertz range, believed to be the most   Info Service yesterday  picked up bid documents  for
                         coveted spectrum  for 5G  adoption among mobile   the  multi-band  license  auction  at  the  NBTC  office.
                         operators.  A source at  the National Broadcasting   It was the fifth operator to pick them, following True
        Thailand         and Telecommunications  Commission (NBTC) who   Move H  Universal Communication,  Total  Access
                         requested  anonymity said the panel is  led by  Korkij   Communication,  TOT  and CAT  Telecom. Interested
                         Danchaivichit,  deputy  secretary-general  of the NBTC   bidders are allowed to pick the bid documents until Feb
                         in charge of the telecom  sector.  The  panelists were   3, a day before the deadline to submit bid documents.
                         reported  to  have  held  the  first  meeting  last  week  to   (January 15, 2020) bangkokpost.com
                         discuss  the framework of the spectrum  recall. The
                         range  is being  used  by  SET-listed satellite service   Thailand has  approved the merger of  two  state-run
                         provider  Thaicom for its Thaicom  5 C-band  satellite.   telecommunication  companies,  CAT Telecom  and
                         The source said  the NBTC plans to auction off the   TOT, into the National Telecom company (NT), which
                         range as  the second  batch of 5G  spectrum  licences,   will compete  with private operators in the  upcoming
                         following the first batch put up for auction on Feb 16.   spectrum auctions, a senior government official said.
                         A total of 300MHz of bandwidth on the 3400-3700MHz   The National Telecom company will help promote the
                         range could be  put up for auction. The NBTC will   government’s policy in digital infrastructure and provide
                         have to choose three academics to sit on its advisory   services  to the public,  government  spokeswoman,
                         team studying terms of the spectrum recall, including   Narumon Pinyosinwat  told reporters, adding that  the
                         compensation  figures,  timeline  of  the  recall  process   merger should be completed in six months. The Digital
                         as well as the impact on Thaicom’s corporate clients   Economy and Society Ministry will oversee the newly
                         and satellite TV viewers, the source said. The range is   formed company,  she added. The merged entity will
                         the most coveted for 5G adoption by mobile operators,   participate in the upcoming 5G spectrum auctions on
                         the source said. A total of 11 countries in Europe have   the 700  megahertz  (MHz),  800  Mhz,  2600  Mhz  and
                         launched  5G commercial services on the 3500MHz   the 26 gigahertz frequency  bands on Feb. 16, held
                         range  through  a  variety of networks and devices   by  the National  Broadcasting  Telecommunication
                         provided by vendors. An executive at a major mobile   Commission  (NBTC), she said.  The high-band
                         operator who requested anonymity said the 3500MHz   spectrums  allow high  data speeds  that support
                         range is the key band for the global 5G development   applications  such  as virtual and  augmented  reality,
                         ecosystem. “It is unavoidable for operators to examine   self-driving cars, the remote control of industrial robots,
                         all  the 5G adoption opportunities for all  the ranges,   and super-fast downloads of movies in high definition.
                         particularly  the 3400-3700MHz,”  the source said.   Thailand’s top three mobile operators, Advanced Info
                         According to the source, 300MHz of bandwidth on the   Service Pcl (ADVANC.BK), True Corporation Pcl (TRUE.
                         range is a suitable amount, compared with only 190MHz   BK)  and  Total  Access  Communication Pcl (DTAC.BK)
                         of bandwidth on the 2600MHz range, put up for the Feb   have picked up  bidding  documents from the NBTC.
                         16 auction. Of the four spectra put up for the Feb 16   CAT Telecom  and TOT have also picked  up the bid
                         auction, the 2600MHz is reported to be the most desired   documents. The spectrum licenses all together worth
                         among operators. Several executives at the three major   at least 160 billion baht ($5.28 billion) based on their
                         operators agreed if the NBTC sets a clear timeline for   reserve price.
                         the 3400-3700MHz license auction, they are likely to   (January 14, 2020) uk.reuters.com










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