Page 96 - SAMENA Trends - February 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Telecom regulator Anatel unanimously approved an evaluation of competition in the market. To maintain
the sale of Oi’s mobile unit Oi Movel to a consortium a healthy competitive environment, operators will be
of its former rivals in a vote held on 31st January. In required to submit Wholesale Product Reference Offers
December 2020, Claro Brasil, Telefonica Brasil and Tim for national roaming. The consortium members must
Brasil lodged a joint bid of BRL16.5 billion (USD3.25 also make voluntary commitments around their use
billion) for Oi’s mobile operations. CommsUpdate of Oi’s spectrum, which Anatel claims will safeguard
notes that the offer was ratified by Brazil’s Judicial competition so that new operators can enter the
Reorganization Court, with Oi executing the agreement market.
on 28th January 2021. Anatel granted its approval after (February 1, 2022) developingtelecoms.com

Plans by the government of Cambodia to route all on the establishment of the NIG states that the move
domestic and international internet traffic through a is aimed at enhancing national revenue collection,
National Internet Gateway (NIG) have been postponed, saving costs and protecting national security, but its
an official told Nikkei Asia. The new gateway was critics, which include the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC),
Cambodia expected to begin operating this month but So say the move would undermine citizens’ rights to
Visothy, a spokesman for the Ministry of Posts and internet access, and raises concerns about freedom of
Telecommunications (MPTC), confirmed that the plans expression, media censorship and user privacy.
have been delayed ‘due to the disruption caused by (February 16, 2022) commsupdate.com
the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic’. A sub-decree

Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of 4G LTE plans). The statement claimed that these
Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that the benchmark packages continue to reflect Canadians’
government has met its commitment to reduce the average mobile data usage, quoting an average figure
Canada costs of mid-range mobile packages by 25% three of 3.8GB per user per month. The two-year tracking
period to reduce prices is due to end in March 2022.
months ahead of schedule. Prices for all tracked mid-
range plans have decreased by 25% compared to the The statement added that mobile prices in general
benchmark prices observed in early 2020, according have declined across the board, quoting the Statistics
to the newly published data for the latest quarter of Canada cellular services price index showing a 26.9%
pricing, covering October to December 2021. The decline from February 2020 to December 2021. The
benchmark is based on prices advertised on company government has also observed decreases generally
websites of the three largest cellcos Rogers, Bell and in the range of 22% to 26% for mobile plans with
Telus in early 2020 for three mobile plans offering 10GB data volumes and larger, ‘which builds on past
2GB, 4GB and 6GB of data respectively (all post-paid, reductions of 31% for 10GB plans in 2019.’
bring your own device [BYOD], unlimited talk and text (February 1, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Congolese government has adopted a decision devices with the regulator, which would directly charge
to end the controversial device registration (Registre an annual fee. Unregistered devices, or those for which
des Appareils Mobiles, RAM) tax from 1 March 2022, the customer could not pay the fee, were blocked.
following criticism regarding the collection of the The RAM tax was priced at USD1.00 for 2G devices or
Congo fee and the lack of transparency surrounding the USD7.00 for 3G and 4G (or better) devices, paid via six
use of the funds raised by the levy. The decision will monthly payments (USD0.17 per month for five months
repeal legislation from March 2020 which amended and a final payment of USD0.15 or five payments of
rules setting the methods of calculation and rates USD1.17 and one of USD1.15). The monthly payments
of income for the Regulatory Authority of Post and represented a substantial portion of the average
Telecommunications (Autorite de Regulation des consumer’s spending on mobile services and payment
Postes et Telecom, ARPTC). Collection of the levy of the RAM fee was reportedly prioritized above other
for 2G phones was scrapped in October last year. payments, such as mobile money services. Further,
The device registration scheme was introduced in advocacy groups have highlighted that the government
September 2020 in an effort to tackle phone theft and has not made it clear how much money has been
the sale of counterfeit devices. Under the scheme, collected or how it is being spent, claiming that the
consumers were required to register the International funds were not accounted for in public records. (February
Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of their 21, 2022) commsupdate.com

96 FEBRUARY 2022