Page 107 - SAMENA Trends - July-September 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

name of the plan and price. “They should also display that they do not need,” he said. The director said that
information about validity period, price-per-second bonuses on promotions must be stated in actual value;
for on or off-network and international calls, expected access fees and asymmetric fee structures must be
data speeds, and fair usage policies. “Operators can eliminated. He emphasized that while complying with
maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans till Dec. 31, the guidelines, operators must also meet also the Key
within which period they are expected to educate and Performance Indicators (KPIs) standards set out in the
migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans,” he Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations.
said. “Operators must offer stand-alone data bundles (August 6, 2024) www.guardian.ng
at fair prices to avoid tying consumers with products

The government of Peru approved a plan to assign by devices without losing quality in transmission,
spectrum directly to operators and allow them to enabling applications such as the Internet of Things,
commit to coverage investments instead of paying telemedicine, tele-education, automation and remote
in cash, with the aim of promoting the deployment management, among other applications,” said the
Peru of public telecommunications services using 5G Minister of Transport and Communications Raul
Standalone (5G SA) technology. Through a decree Pérez Reyes. “They [the companies] will pay their
issued by the transport and communications ministry commitments with obligations [through coverage]
(MTC), the government will allow operators to invest of 4G services throughout the Panamericana Norte,
in closing telecoms gaps in rural areas or places of Sur and the main national roads,” the minister added.
preferential social interest as compensation for the Previous reports stated that Peru aims to carry out a
spectrum they receive via direct allocations. The spectrum tender to award 5G frequencies in January
new regulation authorizes the MTC to assign radio 2025. The tender is planned to involve 300 megahertz
spectrum directly to interested companies, after calling of spectrum in the 3.3-3.4 GHz and 3.6-3.8 GHz bands,
for expressions of interest, provided that the demand as well as 800 megahertz in the 25.9-26.7 GHz band
by those operators does not exceed the spectrum with national coverage. Investment promotion agency
available in the corresponding frequency band. ProInversión initially estimated a reference price of
Currently, the initial deployment of 5G technology in $759 million for the 3.5 GHz band and $85.8 million for
Peru is being carried out under the 5G Non-Standalone the 26GHz band. The concessions will be valid for 20
(5G NSA) standard. According to MTC data, only 30 years. Peru’s main telecom operators are Claro, owned
of Peru’s 1,891 districts had partial 5G coverage last by America Movil; Movistar, owned by Telefonica, Entel
year. “5G will allow for the massification of connections Peru and Bitel. (August 23, 2024) www.rcrwireless.com

The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) moved to per year, respectively”. The merger will also “increase”
block Vodafone’s proposed acquisition of Cabonitel, the degree of coordinated behavior among Vodafone,
owner of mobile and fixed operator Nowo, arguing the NOS and MEO, the country’s main operators, which
deal would hurt competition and harm consumers. would result in barriers to entry for new players. AdC
Portugal AdC announced its decision followed an in-depth particularly pointed to “the concentration of spectrum
investigation into the proposal, which found Vodafone in Vodafone”, which the company would make
will have increased market power if approved, while inaccessible to new entrants. Vodafone previously
claiming the deal “reinforced” barriers to market entry presented “commitment packages” including providing
and would cause a detrimental effect on consumers. a wholesale offer for its fiber network to Digi, which is
The authority argued Nowo “exerts considerable in the process of launching its services in Portugal.
competitive pressure” on other operators and that It further proposed the sale of Nowo’s recently-
its merger with Vodafone would result in significant bought spectrum usage rights to the new entrant to
price increases. Vodafone’s products will increase to address AdC’s concerns, plans the authority found
a lesser extent, and services from competitors will rise unsatisfactory. Vodafone revealed its intention to
“marginally”. The proposed acquisition is intended acquire Nowo’s owner Cabonitel from Lorca JVCO in
to boost the former’s market dominance, AdC further October 2022, in a move to increase its customer base
claimed, leading to “losses of consumer surplus and of and fixed network coverage in the country.
social welfare in the order of €54 million and €20 million (July 8, 2024) www.mobileworldlive.com

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