Page 98 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
P. 98

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

                         The ICT Ministry MinTIC has confirmed that the coun-  (December 4, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com
                         try's 5G spectrum auction raised more than 1.5 billion
                         pesos  (US$380  million).  The  total  falls  short  of the   The  telecoms  regulator  confirmed  four  operators  will
                         $500  million  initially  expected.  Claro, Partners  Tele-  compete at auction for 5G spectrum.  The communica-
        Colombia         com Colombia (WOM), and Union Temporal Colombia   tions ministry (MinTic) revealed participating at auction
                         Móvil-Telefónica  (a  network-sharing  JV  between  Tigo   will be Claro, WOM, Movistar and Tigo partnership Union
                         and  Movistar)  all  secured  5G  licenses  in  the  auction   Temporal Colombia Movil-Telefonica, and Brazil-based
                         which lasted nine rounds. Each telco secured a block of   provider  Telecall  Colombia.  Movistar  and  Tigo  have
                         80MHz in the 3.5GHz band, while Claro secured an addi-  joined forces to share infrastructure in a move seem-
                         tional block of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. However,   ingly to keep costs down.  The Colombian government
                         the frequencies in the 700 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and the AWS   is aiming to raise around half a billion dollars from the
                         (Advanced Wireless Services) band between 1.695 and   auction which will take place on December 20. Neigh-
                         2.2 GHz remained unsold. The auction result was con-  boring Latin American nations have already conducted
                         firmed via a post on X, formerly Twitter, by Mauricio Liz-  trials  and  auctions  with  commercial  services  already
                         cano, the information technology and communications   seen in Argentina and Mexico.  Up for auction in Colom-
                         minister. Lizcano called the auction "historical" and said   bia  is  700MHz,  1900MHz,  2,500MHz  and  3,500MHz.
                         that the operators will begin the deployment of 5G from   Other spectrum between from 1,700MHz to 2,100MHz
                         February, while he expects investment in 5G to reach 28   which is suited for Advanced Wireless Services will also
                         trillion pesos (around $7.11 billion) in the next decade.   be up for grabs. (December 4, 2023) www.developingtelecoms.com



                         The government has begun the construction of a new   planned a total investment of XOF2 trillion between 2021
                         data center in Abidjan under a contract which is valued   and 2025 to support the country’s digital transformation
                         at  XOF36  billion  (USD60  million).  The  20,000  square   as  it  looks  to become the  digital  hub of West  Africa.
                         meter  Tier  3  facility  will  house  800  cabinets  with  an   (December 19, 2023) Ecofin
        Cote d’Ivoire    overall  storage capacity of 2,200TB.  Authorities  have





                         The Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU) has issued   of  the  notification  obligation  in  the  frequency  bands
                         a call for comments on the proposed use of the 71GHz-  71GHz–76GHz/81GHz–86GHz,’ it said. In order for the
                         76GHz  (70GHz)  and  81GHz-86GHz  (80GHz)  E-band   CTU to evaluate the existing regulatory measures fully
                         for point-to-point fixed broadband services. In a press   and correctly, it has created an electronic questionnaire,
        Czech            release, the regulator noted that – having last revisited   the  feedback  from  which  will  be  used  to  ‘set  the
                                                                        conditions  for further  use  of the  affected  bands  so
                         the licensing process back in 2013, the current system
        Republic         is  outdated  and  in  need  of  modernization.  ‘However,   that their use continues to be effective’. The CTU will
                         before  carrying  out  the  modernization,  the  Office   subsequently  publish  its  intention  for the  two bands,
                         intends to evaluate not only the user’s point of view (the   including  an  evaluation  of the  responses,  it  noted.
                         functionality of the portal and its development), but also   (December 4, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
                         the  effectiveness  of this  portal,  or  the  effectiveness




                         1&1  has  become Germany’s  fourth  mobile  network   national roaming from Vodafone as planned and reduce,
                         operator  following  the  launch  of  its  first  smartphone   step by step, upfront services from Telefonica. Unlike
                         tariffs last week. 1&1’s fully virtualized mobile network   traditional  networks,  which  are  based  on  proprietary
                         is  based  entirely  on  Open  RAN  technology.  Initially,   technology from specialized network suppliers, the 1&1
        Germany          where there is no dedicated coverage during the rollout   O-RAN has a large number of standardized interfaces,
                         phase  of the  new 1&1  mobile network, customers   allowing  software and  hardware components from
                         automatically have access to Telefonica Deutschland’s   different  suppliers  to  be  flexibly  combined  and
                         2G/4G/5G  network as  part  of national  roaming now   eliminating  1&1’s  dependence  on  individual  suppliers.
                         expanded to include 5G. From 1 July 2024 1&1 will use   (December 11, 2023) www.commsupdate.com








                                                                                                    98  DECEMBER 2023
   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103