Page 113 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

cybersecurity,” he added. He also announced the formal teams. Licensees will be expected to submit mid-
recognition of regulatory officers within licensees’ year and annual compliance reports certified by their
operations as key contacts for compliance reporting. boards. These measures, Maida said, aim to ensure that
A central focus of the guidelines is the strengthening telecom boards and management teams are configured
of audit functions and risk control systems across to deliver reliable services, ensure supply chain integrity,
telecom companies. The NCC now requires operators and reduce operational vulnerabilities.
to systematically identify and mitigate material risks, (August 7, 2025) www.businessday.ng
with oversight provided by empowered internal audit

The National Telecommunications Commission to build a mobile network from scratch. Meanwhile,
(Conatel) confirmed that Claro and Argentina’s Millicom’s Tigo and Telecom’s Personal, the two largest
Nubicom will each receive 200 MHz in the 3.5 GHz mobile providers in Paraguay, did not take part in the
band after submitting the only bids in the country’s 5G auction process. Industry observers siad the final
Paraguay auction. Claro will operate in the 3.5–3.7 GHz range, bidding rules undermined technological neutrality
while Nubicom secured 3.3–3.5 GHz. Both allocations by excluding Chinese vendors, deterring broader
are split into four 50 MHz sub-bands. Claro bid $2.021 participation despite one of the region’s lowest base
million and Nubicom $2 million, with both companies prices. The local government decided to adopt strict
making a $1.4 million deposit. The full license fee must eligibility rules for the auction, which effectively barred
be paid within 60 days. Operators have six months to Chinese vendors. One of the key requirements was a
begin infrastructure deployment, with commercial 5G “commercial reciprocity” clause: Bidders had to provide
service expected to launch between March and April a certificate from Paraguay’s diplomatic mission in
2026. Nubicom, which currently provides fixed internet the country of origin of their proposed RAN equipment
services in Argentina’s Salta province but has no mobile manufacturer, confirming equal access for Paraguayan
infrastructure in either Argentina or Paraguay, will have companies to that market. (August 27, 2025) www.rcrwireless.com

Four of Peru’s mobile operators – Bitel, Claro, Entel and user base from 8.75 million on 31 December 2024, to
Integratel - have obtained spectrum for 5G deployment. 10.1 million by the end of June. Market leader Claro
A fifth, Americatel, which had prequalified for the bidding was second in the auction. It chose the 3500-3600MHz
process, reportedly did not participate in the auction. As block. Entel was awarded the 3300-3400MHz block and
Peru reported in April, the call for bids involved frequencies in Integratel obtained the 3600-3700MHz block. The 3700-
3800 MHz block apparently received no bids but the
the 3300-3800MHz band. The auction was points-based
– that is, awards were made based on how well the hope is that it will be used for private mining and port
companies did in investment commitments, rather than services. The investment commitment, defined by Peru’s
how much they might be willing to pay for the spectrum Ministry of Transport and Communications, includes
itself. Vietnamese-owned Bitel achieved the highest bringing 4G services to 1,221 rural communities, in
score with its additional coverage offer and therefore addition to deploying infrastructure on 1,699 kilometers
gained priority to choose its location within the band of national highways – a reminder of the continuing
offered. The company selected the 3400–3500MHz relevance of 4G for much of the population of Peru.
block. Bitel, the third-largest operator in the market has (September 15, 2025) www.bnamericas.com
boosted its investments and managed to increase its

ANACOM, the Portuguese Space Authority, awarded the licensing and evaluation – is awarded within the context
first license to operate a launch Centre, the Malbusca of the Portugal Space 2030 Strategy, aiming to promote
Launch Centre on Santa Maria Island, Azores, on 12 Portugal’s capabilities and potential as a European
August 2025 to the Atlantic Space Consortium. This platform for return missions and access to space and
Portugal 5-year license, which does not include in its scope leveraging the strategic geographic position of the
future launch operations – these require specific
Azores. (August 15, 2025) www.lexology.com

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