Page 97 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
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REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

                         The  Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC)   842MHz-852MHz/801MHz- 811MHz
                         has concluded its procedure for granting use of radio   Yettel:723MHz-733MHz/778MHz-788MHz   and
                         frequency spectrum in the 700MHz and 800MHz bands,   852MHz-862MHz/811MHz-821MHz
                         pursuant to Decision No. 699 of 4 October 2023. The   Provision  of spectrum  in  these  frequency bands  will
        Bulgaria         regulator has adopted Decisions No. 343/28.11.2023,   provide an opportunity to build new generation networks
                         344/28.11.2023 and 345/28.11.2023 granting spectrum
                                                                        and provide innovative broadband services in sparsely
                         in the two bands to A1, Vivacom and Yettel Bulgaria for   populated  areas,  the  CRC  said.  With  the  issuance  of
                         a period of 15 years. The trio secured 10MHz of paired   the  permits,  the  prerequisites  will  be  created  for the
                         spectrum in the 700MHz band and 2×10MHz in 800MHz   fulfilment  of  one  of  the  goals  of  the  ‘Digital  Decade’
                         band each, as follows:                         initiative to cover all populated areas with high speed
                         A1:  703MHz-713MHz/758MHz-768MHz  and  832MHz-  5G mobile networks, in accordance with the principle of
                         842MHz/791MHz-801MHz                           technological neutrality.
                         Vivacom:   713MHz-723MHz/768MHz-778MHz   and   (December 1, 2023) www.commsupdate.com




                         Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada   •  Telus, which bought 1,430 licenses, paying CAD619.64
                         (ISED)  announced  the  conclusion  of  the  country’s   million
                         3800MHz  5G  spectrum  auction,  resulting  in  4,099   •  Bell Canada (939 licenses, CAD518.07 million)
                         licenses awarded to 20 bidders, including 870 licenses   •  Rogers  Communications  (860  licenses,  CAD474.77
                                                                         million)
        Canada           to small and regional providers. ISED stated that when   •  Videotron (305 licenses, CAD298.90 million)
                         combined  with  the  previous  3500MHz  auction  of
                         2021, small and regional providers have doubled their   •  Cogeco  (bidding  via  Elite  General  Partnership)  (99
                         spectrum holdings,  further  strengthening  their  ability   licenses, CAD190.29 million)
                         to  offer  competitive  services,  adding  that  3800MHz   •  Wightman  Telecom (bidding  via  NE&W  SPC)  (38
                         licenses will support faster deployment of high quality   licenses, CAD17.65 million)
                         5G  network services  in  every  part  of the  country so   •  SaskTel (45 licenses, CAD10.19 million)
                         consumers and businesses, including those in rural and   •  Eastlink  (Bragg  Communications)  (187  licenses,
                         remote regions, can enjoy the transformative benefits   CAD9.95 million)
                         of  the  latest  mobile  and  fixed  wireless  broadband   •  Novus (one license, CAD6.34 million)
                         technologies.  The  auction began  on 24  October   •  Sogetel (16 licenses, CAD4.39 million)
                         2023 with 22 qualified bidders, and bids ended on 24   •  Cooptel (eight licenses, CAD2.44 million)
                         November with winners purchasing licenses valued at   •  HuronTel (six licenses, CAD2.03 million)
                         CAD2.16 billion (USD1.59 billion) in total, which will be   •  Bruce Telecom (two licenses, CAD1.19 million)
                         paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund administered   •  Tbaytel (26 licenses, CAD791,000)
                         by  the  Receiver  General  of  Canada.  95%  of  licenses   •  CityWest (71 licenses, CAD381,000)
                         on  offer  were  sold,  including  licenses  in  all  service   •  Ecotel (46 licenses, CAD347,000)
                         areas  classed  as  ‘rural/remote’.  Concessions  permit   •  ABC Internet (15 licenses, CAD250,000)
                         mobile or fixed wireless services and carry deployment   •  NWIC Inc. (two licenses, CAD49,000)
                         obligations that require companies to ‘use or lose’ the   •  Indigitel (two licenses, CAD24,000)
                         spectrum within set timelines.                 •  MPVWIFI (one license, CAD3,000).
                         The list of 3800MHz license winners includes:  (December 1, 2023) www.commsupdate.com




                         The  government  of the  Central  African Republic  is   consultant  will  be required to assess  the  regulatory
                         looking for a firm to provide technical assistance to the   framework and implementation of the universal service
                         Regulatory  Authority  for Electronic  Communications   strategy;  identify  issues  hindering  implementation
                         and  Postal  Services  (Autorite  de  Regulation  des   of  the  UAF; perform an  inventory  of the  country’s
        Central          Communications Electroniques et de la Poste, ARCEP),   mobile network coverage and infrastructure; identify
                                                                        projects  to further  universal  service and  propose  a
                         reports Digital Business Africa. The successful applicant
        African          will notably help the telecoms watchdog operationalize   multi-year  plan  to  operationalize  the  fund;  and  define
        Republic         the  Universal  Access Fund  (UAF).  The  call  for tender   a new UAF strategy adapted to the country’s electronic
                         is  being  financed  by  the  International  Development   communications market. Expressions of interest must
                         Association under the Public Sector Digital Governance   be submitted no later than 15 December 2023.
                         (PGNSP)  project. Amongst other  things,  the  selected   (December 12, 2023) www.commsupdate.com




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