Page 126 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Freddy, MACRA worked with partners like the World the availability of communication resources during all
Food Program (WFP) and the Department of Disaster phases of disaster management. The plan includes
Management Affairs (DoDMA) to set up an emergency the creation of the NETWG, which was formally
operations center to coordinate rescue efforts through launched at a workshop in Blantyre on December 17,
dependable communication channels. In addition to 2024, bringing together key stakeholders from across
this, the country has developed the National Emergency the communications, government, and humanitarian
Telecommunications Plan (NETP), supported by the sectors.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to ensure (December 19, 2024) www.nyasatimes.com

Mexican telecoms regulator, the Federal This seems to be mainly for 5G, although some news
Telecommunications Institute (FTI), has cancelled outlets suggest that some spectrum might be used to
the auction for 5G spectrum that was scheduled for support or expand LTE. In addition, as of September
this month. In a translated statement, the regulator 2024 two 5G networks were actually deployed in
Mexico revealed that on January 2, it received a request from Mexico, owned by AT&T and Telcel's Radiomovil Dipsa.
At the same time, says the global data and business
the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications
Agency, the federal branch responsible for developing intelligence platform, there were also five LTE networks
the government’s telecoms and broadcasting policies, in Mexico, each owned by a different operator. The
to cancel the auction. The agency requested this bidding mechanism for this tender is called the multiple
cancellation based on its assessment that it lacked the rounds ascending simultaneous type. The IFT version
necessary resources to continue with the tender under will involve a maximum of three competitions in which
the conditions set by the FTI. The issue arises from spectrum acquisition limits will increase in each contest
the planned dissolution of the FTI during the tender based on demand in the previous contest and spectrum
process, which is set to run until Q1 2026. This would available. The IFT explains that it is imposing limits
have required a new authority to manage the auction, seek to prevent levels of spectrum accumulation that
prompting the tender’s cancellation. The agency stated may harm free competition and economic competition,
that this decision was made to prevent complications as well as avoid the establishment of barriers to entry.
and uncertainties that could arise during the process. In addition, it seeks to encourage the entry of new
The auction would have included the sale of multiple participants or strengthen the ability to compete of those
blocks of spectrum, such as the 600MHz, 2.5GHz, already established and promote the efficient use of the
800MHz, and the L band, for the provision of 5G spectrum. The IFT has also incorporated incentives to
services. (January 17, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com participation, designed to promote competition and
the provision of services at competitive prices for end
The IFT-12 tender, in which spectrum will be made users. Blocks will be available in the 600MHz band, the
available for 5G networks in Mexico, will begin on L-band, the 800MHz band, the AWS band, the PCS band
27 January when an invitation to would-be buyers and the 2.5GHz band, for national and other sorts of
to express their interest begins, according to an coverage. There is some coverage obligations included
announcement from regulator the Federal Institute of in the national blocks of the 600MHz band and in the
Telecommunications (IFT). The IFT-12 tender aims to 2.5GHz band, to support less well-served areas.
allocate 2,223 radio spectrum blocks for the provision of (December 23, 2024) www.developingtelecoms.com
wireless access services in different frequency bands.

The Communications Regulatory Authority INCM, residential, tourism and leisure areas, between 7:30 and
within the scope of its powers and attributions, carried 18:00 hours. Overall, both in terms of accessibility and
out a campaign to measure the quality of service, at a in terms of retention (call duration, without interruption),
national level through drive tests (using equipment that the results indicate significant variation in the quality of
Mozambique allows results to be obtained under equal conditions and voice service depending on the geographical area. In
terms of voice services, it was found that Tmcel is the
simultaneously for the three mobile phone operators) in
the South, Center and North Zones of the country. The operator with the highest number of non-compliances,
tests were carried out from the perspective of a common with around 66%, followed by Movitel with 54% and,
user, evaluating the level of coverage and quality of finally, Vodacom with around 53%. For data services, the
Voice and Data services provided by operators, using operator with the highest number of non-compliances
2G/3G/4G technologies, in 31 geographical areas, in was Movitel, with around 74%, followed by Tmcel with
capital cities, municipal towns and districts, as illustrated 25% and finally, Vodacom with around 6%. In terms
in the table below, with emphasis on commercial, of coverage, the highest number of non-compliances

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