Page 99 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
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REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

                         The  Hungarian  Government  Informatics  Development   program, while by end-2022 the proportion of Hungarian
                         Agency (KIFU)  held  a  presentation  marking  the   households capable of 1Gbps access exceeded a two-
                         completion  of national  broadband  development   thirds  threshold.  3,800  public  institutions,  schools
                         projects  under  the  EU-assisted  Superfast  Internet   and municipalities  received modern optical network
        Hungary          Program (SZIP) which began in 2016 and received more   connections  within  the  framework of the  program.
                         than HUF3 billion (USD8.7 million) in EU grants under   Under  the  SZIP  initiatives,  a  national  electronic
                         KIFU’s management. KIFU noted that today nearly 97%   communications database  was created  for handling
                         of  households  in  Hungary  are  covered  by  high  speed   tenders  for network  development  and  for supervisory
                         fixed  internet  networks.  The  Digital  Agenda  of  the   engineering  support  for  the  implementation  of  grant-
                         EU set the goal that by 2020 every household should   winning  projects,  and  in  the  framework  of  the  state-
                         have access to internet access at a speed of at least   subsidized tenders nearly 350,000 ‘places of need’ were
                         30Mbps, with at least half of households to be covered   covered  in  196  district  tenders,  while  about  300,000
                         by services capable of 100Mbps-plus speeds. Hungary’s   places  of need  were covered under independent
                         30Mbps fixed network coverage exceeded 95% by 2020,   commitments of Hungarian telecoms service providers.
                         with  the  remainder  of homes  offered  special  mobile   (December 1, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
                         internet  tariffs  made  available  under  the  government




                         The  Department  of  Telecommunications  (DoT)  has   framework is  lengthy  and  time  consuming, requiring
                         issued  a  decision  to  scrap  paper-based  customer   sellers  to  fill  in  a  Customer  Acquisition  Form  and
                         registration  and  verification  process  with  effect  from   attach a photograph plus documents providing proofs
                         1  January  2024.  The  switch  to  a  digital  Know Your   of identity  and  address.  The  government  tightened
        India            Customer (KYC) system for mobile customer enrolment   restrictions  on  SIM  sales  earlier  this  year  in  a  bid  to
                         is  expected  to help  lower customer acquisition  costs
                                                                        reduce fraud and cybercrime.
                         for operators and reduce SIM fraud. The paper-based   (December 6, 2023) www.commsupdate.com




                         A call  for information  has  been  published  by  the   it is seeking views on these main themes, as well as
                         Jersey Competition  Regulatory Authority  (JCRA)  as   responses to questions posed in its call for information
                         it  commences  a  review of the  Bailiwick’s  telecoms   document. Submissions  have been  requested  by
                         market.  According  to  the  local  regulator the  review   a  deadline  of 2  February  2024.  Commenting,  Peter
        Jersey           is expected to conclude in early 2025 with the aim of   Hetherington,  Chief  Economist  at  the  JCRA,  said:
                                                                        ‘The  Authority’s  aim  is  to  maintain  well-functioning
                         ‘further  develop[ing]  a  robust  and  enduring  regulatory
                         framework, enabling the Authority to continue to deliver   markets, supporting both competition and investment
                         effective regulation of telecoms services. According to   in connectivity … The review will be overarching, to test
                         the JCRA, its review will be framed by three main themes,   the current operating and regulatory environment and
                         those  being:  government  telecoms  policy framework   ensure  both  are  fit  for  purpose  for  the  future  benefit
                         and  action  plan;  regulatory  and  economic  policy; and   of both the telecoms companies and their customers.’
                         consumer policy.  At  this  stage,  the  watchdog said   (December 1, 2023) www.commsupdate.com




                         As  part  of efforts  to  promote competition  and   operators, encourage  investment  to  expand  access
                         increase  service  availability, Madagascar’s  telecom   to services, and ultimately lower prices for end-users.
                         watchdog the  Agency for Regulation  of  Technology   The measures also introduced two additional licenses,
                         and Communication  (ARTEC) has  launched  a call for   namely: a satellite license authorizing the deployment
        Madagascar       applications  from candidates  seeking  a  license  to   of public GMPCS, broadband satellite or VSAT networks;
                         operate satellite-based broadband services. Interested
                                                                        and  a  unified  license  permitting  the  operator  to  offer
                         parties  will  have  until  28  March  2024  to make  their   the full range of fixed, mobile and data services via all
                         submissions. In April 2023 the government announced   authorized networks, as well as to lease infrastructure
                         major  policy  changes  designed  to  fully  liberalize   and provide wholesale capacity.’
                         the  telecoms  sector,  including  specific  measures  to   (December 6, 2023) www.commsupdate.com
                         remove barriers to entry, create a level playing field for






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