Page 99 - SAMENA Trends - February 2022
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REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

                         The  Office  of  the  Communications  Authority  (OFCA)   2023. Meanwhile, 90MHz licenses in the 2.3GHz range
                         has published its spectrum release plan for 2022-24.   are set to expire in 2027 and the plan again sets an
                         The schedule includes the reassignment of 20MHz of   earliest award date as next year. Finally, 4GHz of new
                         frequencies in the 800MHz and 900MHz bands, where   spectrum in the 39.5GHz-43.5GHz range is expected to
        Hong Kong        current licenses are due to expire in 2026; the earliest   be allocated in 2023 or 2024.
                         award  date for new concessions  has  been  set  as
                                                                        (February 24, 2022) commsupdate.com



                         The National  Media  &  Infocommunications  Authority   purchases under the program’s budget of HUF5 billion.
                         (Nemzeti Media-  es Hirkozlesi Hatosag,  NMHH)   The offer runs until 17 July 2022, or until the fund is
                         announced  the availability  of subsidies  to  assist   exhausted.  Although  3G devices are the main focus
                         consumers in exchanging their 3G mobile phones for   of the program, the NMHH confirmed that if any funds
        Hungary          4G/5G devices ahead of the expected shutdown of 3G   remain by 9 May 2022, from that date it will also be
                                                                        possible  to claim the individual  subsidy  to replace  a
                         networks in the first half of 2023. An individual subsidy
                         of HUF20,000 (USD63.4) can be claimed at one of 700   2G-only mobile phone with a 4G/5G model.
                         participating retail  outlets, covering 250,000  device   (February 15, 2022) commsupdate.com




                         The telecoms watchdog the Electronic Communications   December  2021) with a  stipulation that a  long-term
                         Office  of  Iceland  (ECOI)  has  opened  a  public   allocation will be provided if the assigned frequencies
                         consultation on its plan to renew Vodafone Iceland’s   are used in  accordance  with  the ECOI’s  criteria for
                         (Syn’s)  concession in  the 3600MHz  band until  31   efficient  utilization.  At  end-2021,  however,  ECOI
        Iceland          March  2023.  The  ICOI  received  an application  and a   highlighted  that  it  faced  uncertainty  regarding  the
                                                                        development of electronic communications legislation
                         timed development plan from Syn for the renewal of
                         the spectrum, with Syn committing to build 5G network   and the implementation  of certain national security
                         in ten rural areas of the country (nine of which currently   measures by  the government  to  ensure the secure
                         have no 5G access),  deploy  40  5G transmitters and   supply chain of  mobile network  equipment,  and
                         provide 5G to over 20% of the population.  Interested   that  the long-term  allocation of the spectrum  had
                         parties are given until 24 February 2022 to comment   been  postponed.  Instead,  the  regulator  extended  the
                         on the plan. TeleGeography  notes  that  the spectrum   concessions  of Siminn  and Nova for a short period
                         was  initially  awarded in May  2020  (effective until 31   (until 31 March 2023). (February 17, 2022) commsupdate.com




                         The Indian government has cancelled an INR190 billion   India’s Finance Minister has confirmed that the auction
                         (USD2.5 billion) tender for extending fiber connectivity   of 5G spectrum will take place in 2022, with the rollout
                         to villages across 16 states due  to a lack of eligible   of 5G services to be carried out in the 2022-23 financial
                         bidders. The BharatNet program was greenlit in June   year. the Minister made the announcement as part of
        India            last  year  and would have utilized a  public-private   her Union Budget 2022-23 speech, which also included
                                                                        plans for a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme
                         partnership model for the rollout, which was expected
                         to cost around INR294 billion in total. The project had   for local manufacturing of 5G equipment. In addition,
                         been split into nine tenders, and whilst the government   the  Minister unveiled  plans to award contracts  for
                         had  received  applications  from  some  firms,  the   deploying  fiber  in  all  villages  via  a  Public  Private
                         participants had failed to qualify. An unnamed official   Partnership  (PPP)  model  in 2022-23, with the  works
                         source told the paper that the government would refloat   expected  to be completed  by  2025.  The government
                         the  tender after taking feedback from the  industry.   also  plans to use 5% of Universal Service Obligation
                         (February 28, 2022) The Economic Times         Fund  (USOF)  contributions  to  finance  research  and
                                                                        development  and commercialization of solutions for
                                                                        the provision of affordable broadband services in rural
                                                                        and remote areas. (February 1, 2022) The Economic Times









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