Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NTC Extends Filipino Telco Permits until 31 December, Cites Lockdown

Restrictions

The National Telecommunications communications equipment, networks the NTC’s pragmatic decision, PLDT Chief
Commission (NTC) of the Philippines and facilities, public (telecom), broadcast, Revenue Officer and Smart President and
issued a memorandum on 29 July 2020 government or private, in various radio CEO Alfred Panlilio said: ‘We appreciate
formally extending all existing permits, services, expiring in the current year shall this assistance provided by Commissioner
certificates and licenses of telecom remain valid and may be renewed on or Gamaliel Cordoba and the NTC in dealing
services providers and broadcasters before the last working day of December with these difficulties created by the
until 31 December 2020, citing the many 2020 without penalties or surcharges.’ It pandemic … Hand-in-hand with the
‘mobility limitation issues in many regions added, however, that thereafter ‘appropriate government, we will be able to surmount
around the country’ due to lockdown penalties or surcharges shall be imposed’. the challenges presented by COVID-19
restrictions. The regulator’s statement It invited telcos/broadcasters to apply for and continue improving communications
confirmed: ‘All existing certificates, necessary renewals and/or licenses at services for Filipinos nationwide.’
permits and licenses, to operate radio the NTC Central Office. Commenting on

Ofcom Confirms It is Making Lower 6GHz Band

Available for Wi-Fi Use

British telecoms regulator Ofcom has meanwhile, it also confirmed that it is to
confirmed that it is making the lower remove the Dynamic Frequency Selection
6GHz band (5925MHz-6425MHz) (DFS) requirements from channels used
available for Wi-Fi and other radio LAN by Wi-Fi in the 5.8GHz band (5725-5850
(RLAN) technologies. In announcing the MHz); DFS requires a router to scan for
development the watchdog claimed that radars and to switch channel if suspected
opening the band would ‘make more radar transmissions are detected. With the
channels available, increase capacity regulator arguing that DFS can represent
and reduce congestion in existing bands a constraint for equipment manufacturers
caused by large numbers of devices’. regarding quality of service and throughput
Alongside this, the regulator also noted as well as being the cause of connection
that the release of this spectrum would delays for users, it said it is amending the
also enable very low power (VLP) requirements on this band ‘on the basis
outdoor use which, in turn, should allow that the risk of undue interference from
for the development of new, innovative indoor Wi-Fi use is extremely low’.
applications. In a separate development,

Russian Operator Receives Country's First 5G License

Russia's major mobile network operator the history of communication, digitization trade body that represents mobile network
MTS announced that it received the and the development of new IT products. operators globally, said in 2019. By late
country's first-ever license for providing For MTS, the fifth-generation technologies 2018, the CIS region had 235 million
5G//IMT-2020 mobile services in the are an important tool for more active unique 4G mobile subscribers, with Russia,
24.25-24.65 GHz range in 83 regions development of the new eco-system, Ukraine and Uzbekistan accounting for
across the country, with the license expiring primarily in the field of automation projects 80 percent of the saturation. The report
on 16 July 2025. Business clients and for business users", MTS President Alexey highlights the need for policymakers to
large manufacturing enterprises will be the Kornya said, as quoted in the company's actively invest into 5G networks in the
first users of the fifth-generation network. statement. Connectivity to 5G networks in region to harness business opportunities,
"Obtaining the first 5G license in Russia the Commonwealth of Independent States growth and transformation of traditional
is a historic moment for the industry. We region will reach up to 54 million people by industries in the digital technology and
are now one step closer to a new era in 2025, the GSM Association (GSMA), the mobile sector.

89 AUGUST 2020