Page 117 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

the minutes covering the watchdog’s 25 July meeting, 3440MHz, 3440MHz-3450MHz, 3500MHz-3545MHz
as published on its website on 1 August. In each and 3545MHz-3550MHz bands (alongside a broader
case, the regulator says that the decision was made 3.4GHz-3.8GHz request); locations included Moscow,
‘on the basis of a negative opinion on the possibility St. Petersburg, Kazan and the Republic of Tatarstan;
of allocating a radio frequency band’. MegaFon had VimpelCom (Beeline) had two applications rejected
two applications rejected, covering spectrum in the covering spectrum in the 3400MHz-3800MHz band
3481.125MHz-3498.875MHz and 3581.125MHz- (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and the Republic of
3600MHz bands (alongside a broader 3.4GHz- Tatarstan); and Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) had one
3.8GHz request), at locations including Moscow and application rejected, covering the 3400MHz-3800MHz
St. Petersburg; Rostelecom had two applications band (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and the Republic
rejected, covering spectrum in the 3400MHz- of Tatarstan). (August 6, 2019) telegeography.com

The government has announced it is partnering with backbone network by nearly 340,000 kilometers,
Spanish telecom infrastructure specialist Liteyca on improve backhaul links with the deployment of over
a two-year project to expand the country’s fiber-optic 75,000 kilometers of fiber, and bring high speed
network and connect government offices in all regional connectivity to more than 400 government buildings.
Senegal and municipal capitals. The XOF50 billion (USD84.7 The public administration will also benefit from a new
million) PASSANT project (Projet d’Appui Structurel a
national data center, which could be built in Kaolack,
la Strategie d’Amenagement Numerique du Territoire), while 125 Wi-Fi hotspots will be deployed in public
managed by the state IT agency ADIE (Agence De places to provide access to digital services.
l’Informatique de l’Etat), will extend the country’s (August 27, 2019) telegeography.com

The Slovak regulator RU has awarded a license licenses for the 1500MHz band. Slovakia’s Office for
to operate the country’s first DVB-T multiplex to Regulation of Electronic Communications & Postal
the national transmission company Towercom. Services (RU) is yet to announce an exact timetable for
Towercom’s current license is valid until May 31, 2021 the 700MHz auction, although it stated last month that
Slovakia and its new one, for which it will be required to pay a it had begun the process for awarding frequencies in
the 694MHz-790MHz range by a deadline of 30 June
one-off fee of €501,000, expires on September 9, 2029.
Under the terms of the new license, Towercom will have 2020 in accordance with EU guidelines, whilst work is
to ensure the first multiplex covers at least 86.6% of the ongoing to transfer digital TV broadcasts out of the
population by June 1, 2021, the date the company has band. The Zive report quotes RU spokesperson Roman
fixed for the launch of commercial DVB-T2 services. Vavro as saying: ‘RU will carry out a public consultation
Channels on the multiplex will be distributed using this quarter and after its evaluation will decide on the
HEVC (H.265) coding system by January 1, 2024. conditions of the selection procedure and on which
(August 24, 2019) broadbandtvnews.com frequency it will allocate.’ Note that several Slovakian
operators already hold 3.4GHz-3.8GHz spectrum which
According to a report a 700MHz band 5G frequency RU has authorized for 5G services, with 4ka recently
auction is likely to be launched in Slovakia by the end of announcing plans for live 5G trials using the 3.5GHz-
this year, while the auction could potentially also include 3.7GHz band. (August 14, 2019) zive.aktuality.sk

Telcos in Slovenia say they plan to provide around next three years. Another unnamed telco responded to a
47,500 unserved households in rural areas with second call, saying it would pass around 1,500 homes.
broadband internet services, leaving approximately The state plans to bankroll rollouts to all remaining
50,000 households in so-called ‘white’ areas to be areas without broadband access, with around EUR38
covered by state-funded rollouts. STA reports that million (USD42 million) of funding available under a
Slovenia ten operators responded to a government call to wider EUR200 million EC-backed scheme which aims
provide information on planned deployments in rural to improve connectivity in unserved and underserved
areas, with these ten firms – Elta, KTV Dravograd, regions. A tender to find a contractor to roll out
KTV Ravne, RUNE-SI, Sanmix, Dostop Komunikacije, networks to an initial 25,000 premises in white areas is
Studio Proteus, Telekom Slovenije, Telemach and Milan expected to get underway in the coming months.
Trnovec – expecting to reach 46,000 premises which (August 22, 2019) telegeography.com
currently have little or no broadband access within the

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