Page 127 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

OFCOM Completes 5G Spectrum Allocation

UK regulator OFCOM unveiled the outcome already sealed a deal with Vodafone UK 5G deployments by forming a contiguous
of its latest auction for 5G-suitable to trade bands to create “more efficient block of 80MHz for O2 UK, while ensuring
frequencies, with the total sum increased blocks of 5G spectrum”. The agreement, “good proximity” of Vodafone’s blocks
to £1.38 billion after EE added £23 million which is subject to OFCOM’s blessing, is totaling 90MHz.
to its original bid. OFCOM explained the set to improve coverage and accelerate
full process had now been completed
after finalizing an assignment phase in
which operators had the chance to bid for
specific spectrum blocks. EE committed
the additional sum to guarantee its
preferred allocation, taking its total bid to
£475 million. O2 UK, 3 UK and Vodafone UK
received blocks they previously targeted.
OFCOM’s director for spectrum Philip
Marnick said completion of the auction
gives the four companies the possibility
to “rapidly rollout better mobile services
to people across the UK”. The operators
can also make trades, to “optimize use of
the spectrum they have won in the auction
with their existing airwaves”, Marnick
explained. O2 UK separately stated it had

Telkomsel and Smartfren Secure Spectrum at 2.3ghz Auction

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication block on the three lots of bandwidth offered Smartfren, Hutchison 3 Indonesia (Tri)
and Informatics (MCI, or KemKominfo) – securing two – while Smart Telecom and XL Axiata. Furthermore, the ministry
has issued Press Release No. 133 / HM (Smartfren) bid IDR176.5 billion to win the noted that on 14 April it shortlisted three
/ KOMINFO / 04/2021 to announce the other slot. As such, Telkomsel gets block A of the above MNOs to participate in the
results of the 2.3GHz radiofrequency and C, while Smart Telecom gets block B. auction phase – Telkomsel, XL Axiata
auction, completed between 19 and 21 April As previously reported by CommsUpdate, and Smartfren – which passed the
2021. The ministry’s tender was to allocate the MCI confirmed via official press release ‘Administrative Evaluation of 2.3GHz Radio
frequencies in the range 2360MHz- No. 120 / HM / KOMINFO / 04/2021 that at Frequency Band User Selection in the
2390MHz with a block size of 10MHz each. the closing of selection documents on 17 Range of 2360-2390MHz for the Need for
At the close of the process, MCI confirmed March 2021 it had received applicants from Organizing Cellular Mobile Networks’.
that Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel), five mobile network operators (MNOs),
bid IDR176.9 billion (USD12.2 million) per namely: Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo,

CVT Signs 20-Year Public Telecoms Service Concession

Cape Verde’s government has renewed modifications, gives CVT the right to coverage of telecoms services. Every three
the public telecommunications service operate across the national territory and years CVT must present and implement
concession of incumbent operator manage international calls, including an investment program to improve the
Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT) for 20 years transit calls through Cape Verde, while coverage and quality of services under
under Decree 36/2021 (14 April 2021), in obligating it to promote high quality internet its concession, with particular focus on
return for an annual fee of CVE41 million access – recognized by the government as international connectivity.
(USD445,000), Agence Ecofin reported. an essential asset and a universal right of
The new contract, which includes 27 citizens – and contribute to nationwide

127 APRIL-MAY 2021