Page 152 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) market to international practices, however, the TRAI
has published a public consultation document on the found examples of operators overseas that did offer
validity period for tariff offers following consumer monthly pre-paid plans that were automatically
complaints regarding the 28-day validity period of renewed on the same date each month. As such, the
India many pre-paid plans. The document explains that the regulator has sought opinions on whether regulatory
TRAI has received numerous consumer complaints intervention is required to address the matter, and set
regarding the use of 28 days for the validity period out a number of potential solutions.
instead of a month, with users arguing that they are (May 14, 2021) commsupdate.com
required to make 13 ‘monthly’ recharges per year
instead of twelve, that it causes confusion, and that The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has
they feel cheated by the practice. Alongside the user given the go-ahead for non-commercial 5G trials,
complaints, the regulator adds that politicians have to be conducted over a period of six months, ahead
also expressed their concerns and the TRAI has of anticipated new mobile spectrum auctions. As
received Parliament Questions from members of reported by the Financial Express, both Bharti Airtel
parliament regarding the issue. Explaining the issue, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) will conduct the trials with
the TRAI notes that whilst post-paid plans are charged Ericsson and Nokia, whereas Reliance Jio will partner
on a monthly basis, pre-paid offerings are available Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung whilst also utilizing
with a range of validities, but the most popular offers in-house technology. State-backed MTNL will team
are charged in terms of days, weeks or multiples up with C-DoT for trials but its sister operator BSNL
thereof, such as 28, 57 or 84 days. The regulator does not intend to participate at this stage. The
stressed that service providers have been transparent government indicated that the six-month 5G trial
in disclosing the validity periods of their plans and have duration will include two months to procure and set
not been found to have made any attempts to mislead up equipment. Spectrum allocated for the trials will
consumers. During the regulator’s initial discussions include the mid-band (3.2GHz-3.67GHz), mmWave
with providers on the matter, the cellcos argued that band (24.25GHz-28.5GHz) and the sub-1GHz band
charging on a monthly basis was not possible. Service (700MHz) but cellcos will also be permitted to utilize
providers highlighted the need for clarity regarding a their existing spectrum (800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz
plan’s duration and claimed that the variable number and 2500MHz). Participants will be required to conduct
of days in a month prevented the development of trials in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, and will be
‘monthly’ plans. Similarly, it was claimed that because encouraged to use locally-developed 5G technology
pre-paid services are valid from the recharge date for a alongside major vendor-provided equipment, including
set duration, the plans were not compatible with a fixed tech designed by IT Madras, Centre of Excellence
billing cycle. The cellcos also noted that increasing in Wireless Technology (CEWiT) and IIT Hyderabad.
the standard offering to 30 days would not resolve the The DoT specified the trials will not be connected to
issue for customers, as they would still need to top- existing live telecoms networks.
up at least 13 times a year. Comparing the domestic (May 5, 2021) commsupdate.com

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Band User Selection in the Range of 2360-2390MHz
(MCI, known locally as KemKominfo) opened the for the Need for Organizing Cellular Mobile Networks’.
auction phase of the 2360MHz-2390MHz (2.3GHz) In December 2020 the MCI announced that Telkomsel,
tender. The MCI confirmed via official press release No. Smartfren and Tri had completed the selection process
Indonesia 120 / HM / KOMINFO / 04/2021 that at the closing of for 2.3GHz spectrum, with XL Axiata and Indosat
selection documents on 17 March 2021 it had received Ooredoo both crashing out, but the following month
applicants from five mobile network operators (MNOs), the ministry cancelled the outcome of its own selection
namely: Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel), Indosat process ‘as a precautionary and careful step from the
Ooredoo, Smart Telecom (Smartfren), Hutchison 3 MCI to align every part of this selection process with
Indonesia (Tri) and XL Axiata. Furthermore, the ministry the provisions of laws and regulations relating to
noted that on 14 April it shortlisted three of the above acceptance. Non-Tax State (PNBP) within the MCI,
MNOs to participate in the auction phase – Telkomsel, especially Government Regulation Number 80 of 2015’,
XL Axiata, and Smartfren – which passed the and relaunched it in March.
‘Administrative Evaluation of 2.3GHz Radio Frequency (April 19, 2021) IndoTelko

152 APRIL-MAY 2021