Page 122 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper leading the effort to-coast deployment at full power levels. He called
and working with the National Telecommunications it a groundbreaking achievement, but one that built
& Information Administration to devise a spectrum on other actions, like streamlining 5G buildouts and
sharing framework. Michael Kratsios, chief technology "taking decisive action to secure domestic networks."
officer in the White House Office of Science and Kratsios said the U.S. "will continue to build the best 5G
Technology and deputy assistant to the President networks." Winning the race to 5G has been a priority
called it the fastest transfer of spectrum from federal for the administration. DOD and other agencies, as
use to commercial in history--the White House and well as many in Congress, have butted heads with the
DoD started work on finding the spectrum back in April. FCC over sharing spectrum in other parts of the band,
He said that the "critically needed" spectrum could be including 24 GHz and adjacent to the GPS satellite
available for commercial use by mid-2022. He said band, where the FCC wants to allow Ligado to set up
the decision on the 100 MHZ came after the White its terrestrial broadband service. White House officials
House and DOD "rigorously analyzed" the spectrum had no comment on whether this new spectrum was
in what he called an "unprecedented collaboration." related to its opposition to the FCC freeing up spectrum
He said that spectrum will be for contiguous, coast- elsewhere. (August 10, 2020) multichannel.com

The government of Zimbabwe is now working PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) but has cancelled
with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the contract after the failure to attract a buyer. The
a unit of the World Bank, in its efforts to privatize government is looking to merge the two telcos and sell
fixed line incumbent TelOne and its mobile sister off a 60% interest in the combined firm.
company NetOne. Zimbabwe had previously engaged (July 27, 2020) commsupdate.com
Zimbabwe

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nology News updates, Snapshot of Regulatory News SAMENA Countries, Regulatory News beyond SAMENA region and Wholesale News updates
have been obtained from sources, which we deem reliable. SAMENA Telecommunications Council is not liable for any misinformed decisions that the
reader may reach by being solely reliant on information contained herein. Expert advice should be sought.

122 AUGUST 2020