Page 109 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The Ministry for Communication, Digital Technology minister Samuel Nartey George. He said he had
and Innovations has reportedly revealed plans to merge instructed the National Communications Authority
telecoms players AT and Telecel in hopes of creating (NCA) to begin suspension proceedings against
a sustainable competitor to market leader MTN. MultiChoice Ghana, the local operator of DSTV, if it fails
Ghana According to various media reports, the merger plan will to comply with regulatory expectations for a price cut
be rolled out in three phases, starting with the migration by August 7. “I have directed the NCA to act swiftly. If
of AT’s roughly 3.2 million subscribers to Telecel’s by August 7 DSTV has not complied, their broadcasting
network under a national roaming arrangement that is license will be suspended,” George said. The dispute
already underway. The next phase will involve realigning arose after DSTV rejected a government proposal for a
human resources so that all 300 of AT’s employees 30% reduction in subscription fees. George accused the
remain onboard under the newly merged entity. After company of using the cedi's depreciation — over 200%
that will be a commercial restructuring of the merged in eight years — as an excuse for high prices, calling
company’s framework, which is expected to take 120 the justification inadequate amid Ghana's economic
days. According to TechAfrica News, Minister for challenges. “My fidelity lies with the Ghanaian people.
Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, They have been cheated for years, and it is time we
Samuel Nartey George said the merger will require an put an end to that,” George said. MultiChoice Ghana,
investment of US$600 million over the next four years a subsidiary of South Africa's MultiChoice Group,
to be sustainable. He said the Ghanaian government dismissed the government's demand as “not tenable”
would contribute to that via avenues like proceeds in a statement, citing economic conditions and the
from spectrum sales, but Telecel and other partners need to maintain service quality. MD Alex Okyere
will have to invest in the venture as well. George said warned that forced price cuts could threaten jobs and
the merger was necessary because AT – by far the reduce customer choice, adding that the company had
smallest of Ghana’s three telecoms operators, which the submitted alternative proposals to the minister and the
government bought from Bharti Airtel and Millicom in NCA. George, responding on X, rejected those proposals
2021 – has lost US$10 million in the first eight months and questioned why MultiChoice had complied with a
of this year alone, the report said. court order to suspend price hikes in Nigeria, but not
(September 5, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com in Ghana. DSTV had offered to maintain current pricing
while halting revenue remittances to headquarters, an
Ghana's government has directed satellite broadcaster offer George described as illogical.
DSTV to lower subscription prices or face a suspension (August 5, 2025) www.timeslive.co.z
of its broadcasting license, says communications

Hungarian operator group 4iG through its subsidiary be evaluated, after which a report will be prepared,”
One Macedonia Telecommunications, is the only committee chairman Igor Bojadziev said. Since
firm to submit a bid in the tender by the Agency for local elections have been scheduled, the decision, if
Electronic Communications (AEC) for granting licenses everything is in order, will be made after the completion
Hungary to a new network operator. During bid opening at the of the election process. Three companies have collected
the tender documentation for a third mobile operator.
Agency for Electronic Communications, the tender
committee confirmed that the bidder had provided all According to the tender conditions, the potential new
necessary documentation. “The procedure will continue mobile operator in the country should begin operations
in accordance with the law. The documentation will by the end of 2026. (August 22, 2025) www.mia.mk

In a move that, unlike some regulatory initiatives, may with more than 80% of mobile data consumed indoors,
actually prove popular with mobile operators and and high-frequency-band signals of 4G and 5G often
consumers, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India weakened by modern-day building materials, robust
(TRAI) has issued a manual to aid in the assessment in-building networks have become essential for work,
India of digital connectivity in properties. Described as the education, healthcare, and daily digital services. In
first standardized framework to assess properties for
addition, weak indoor connectivity directly affects
digital connectivity and guide digital infrastructure consumer experience and overall quality of service.
development and upgrades across India, the Manual This publication establishes a uniform assessment
for Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity methodology for digital connectivity rating agencies.
evaluates how effectively buildings are equipped for It also serves as a reference framework for property
high-speed, reliable digital access. As TRAI explains, managers and service providers to plan, implement, and

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