Page 9 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY

SAMENA Council Hails Regional Policy & Regulatory Measures on Spectrum

Availability; Emphasizes on Spectrum Policies that Transcend Short-term
Economics

connectivity is pointing to the likelihood that more spectrum for
both licensed and unlicensed services will indeed be needed.
To tread the next decade, we need to enshrine affordability of
Spectrum into national ICT policies and address the issue of
license fees, opening up multiple spectrum bands, and extending
duration of licenses for Operators. It is a pleasure for SAMENA
Council to be a part of the CITC's endeavors in developing a five-
year spectrum roadmap for commercial and innovative use, and
to make more than 10 GHz of spectrum available in Saudi Arabia
for innovative uses by 2024. This is a very progressive regulatory
enablement step for Operators, and it will set a new precedence in
the SA-ME-NA region."

SAMENA Telecommunications Council, presenting its views and Drawing the attention of the regional Policymakers and
recommendations during the ITU and CITC collaborated “Radio Regulators on key considerations, SAMENA Council mentioned a
Spectrum for IMT-2020 and Beyond: Fostering Commercial string of efforts throughout the year 2020, including the Leaders'
and Innovative Use” event, emphasized on adopting spectrum Summit 2020 and the ITU's recent Private Sector and Ministerial
management approaches in the larger interest of the Industry Roundtables, during which collaboration between the Private
and sustainability of digitization efforts in the long run. The Sector and Governments was pressed upon to achieve nation-
discussions of the ITU-CITC webinar focused on future-oriented specific as well as global milestones of achieving Universal
spectrum policy development to ensure business certainty Digital Access and to accelerate the pace of digital development
and investment, exploring the future potential of 5G, vehicular and overcoming digital divides by encourage cross-industry
communication systems, unlicensed wireless technologies, collaboration. As spectrum is crucial in this regard, SAMENA
satellite communications, and other developments emerging Council re-emphasized on the need to (1) do more of what
within the ICT sector. The webinar also stressed on the need for has worked well throughout the COVID-19 crisis, (2) consider
multilateral cooperation in spectrum management, allocation, temporary spectrum awards during Covid times for permanent
and harmonization in line with the ITU’s standards and guidelines. allocation, (3) think beyond short-term revenue-generation from
spectrum awards, (4) address spectrum needs of both Terrestrial
SAMENA Council, represented by Bocar BA, CEO & Board and Satellite Operators, (5) rethink taxation and license fees, (6)
Member, delivered a keynote message, reiterating how innovative award as much contiguous spectrum as possible, (7) prioritize the
and effective policy and regulatory solutions and enabling release of unallocated portions of 600 MHz, 700 MHz and 800 MHz
measures, which have been key to setting the foundations for spectrum; and release of 3.8 – 4.2 GHz frequencies, (8) consider
digital transformation, remain absolutely essential to building deferred payment facility and extension of spectrum licenses to
a sustainable digital future and a sustainable digital economy. 25 years, and (9) promptly tackle spectrum interference issues
Creating a harmonized spectrum environment through enabling within the SA-ME-NA region.
practices, which should incentivize innovation, foster healthy
competition and regulatory stability, is a challenge that requires, Through meaningful collaboration with the Private sector, the
one, the management of high data growth with additional and/or Policymakers need to promote innovation in the commercial
more efficient use of existing spectrum; two, bringing unlicensed use of spectrum, by increasing access through both licensed
and/or shared spectrum usage to the equation; and, three, and unlicensed approaches, and by ensuring that spectrum
utilizing 4G spectrum to drive 5G. Moreover, hybrid solutions for management practices account for competitive dimensions
the provision of connectivity, especially through cooperation with of the future and tackle the challenges facing 5G+ deployment.
Terrestrial and Satellite players, should also be explored. Such Each country of the SA-ME-NA region must position itself among
collaboration may boost fulfillment of SDG 9 by accelerating the leading nations in unlocking innovative high-performance
resilient rural broadband infrastructure, quality of service, and use cases, and this first requires ensuring access to spectrum
industrialization.Bocar BA stated: "As a national asset and scarce resources, fostering advancement of other ICT infrastructure such
national resource, spectrum needs to be managed to optimize as through Fiber proliferation and Cloud adoption, and to enable
returns to the government while ensuring it contributes an equal, digital-driven use cases that can contribute to sustainable growth
if not more, value to the overall national economy. The future of of the region's digital economy.
9 DECEMBER 2020