Page 118 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN SAMENA REGION

Afghanistan

Sector watchdog the Afghanistan Telecoms Regulatory Authority nation’s mobile networks. The regulator pointed to the ‘unlimited
(ATRA) has revealed that it has issued fines totaling AFN1.2 use of jammers by government authorities, foreign troops and
billion (USD15.7 million) to the nation’s five major telcos – Afghan individuals’, the destruction of telecom sites and cutting of fiber
Telecom (Aftel), Roshan, Afghan Wireless Communications by insurgent groups, limited fiber backbone infrastructure and
Company (AWCC), MTN Afghanistan and Etisalat Afghanistan restrictions on the distribution of additional spectrum resources
– for failing to meet quality of service (QoS) standards. The as significant factors affecting QoS. Further, the ATRA recognized
watchdog did not detail a timeframe for when the fines were that operating costs were higher in Afghanistan than elsewhere,
issued, however. The regulator revealed that the cellcos had citing: security issues, high customs fees, no direct access to
deployed a combined total of 7,072 sites, covering around 90% submarine cable networks for international bandwidth, and a
of the country’s population, whilst total investment in the sector reliance on generators at sites due to the nation’s limited energy
reached AFN183 billion by the end of December 2019. Despite the grid. Nevertheless, the regulator stressed that operators must
financial penalties, the ATRA acknowledged that the operators adhere to the terms of their licenses or face punitive measures.
were facing an uphill struggle to maintain and improve the (March 11, 2020) commsupdate.com

Algeria

The Algerian President gave his approval to the Ministry of (March 24, 2020) ecofinagency.com
Microenterprise, Start-ups and the Knowledge Economy to
implement the Initiative for Digital Transition. The project was The Post and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority
presented on 22 March 2020 during the Council of Ministers. The has launched a campaign to measure the quality of service of
Digital Transition Initiative will focus on the digitization of the the 4G networks of the three mobile operators, ATM (Mobilis),
central administration, documents and administrative forms, the OTA (Djezzy) and WTA (Ooredoo). This campaign initially
generalization of databases based on the National Identification concerns five (5) wilayas among those which were the subject
Number (NIN), the creation of a control panel for decision- of the largest number of complaints from subscribers on the
making and monitoring government projects. The Initiative also “Complaints” platform on the ARPCE website in particular on
incorporates the modernization of the government Internet aspects related to network coverage and quality of service. The
network to ensure liaison between departments. The project campaign will continue gradually as reports of breaches are
also proposes several practical measures, including a digital made. The regulatory authority will communicate on the results
service platform for citizens that will allow them to carry out of the campaign as soon as it is completed and will take the
several types of online transactions such as booking. This digital necessary measures towards the operators in order to correct
transformation will contribute to the collection of economic data any shortcomings noted.
that will help in the preparation of budget forecasts. (March 2, 2020) arpce.dz

Bahrain

According to the BuddeComm report released outlines the major progressive and it contributes about 4% a year to the Kingdom’s
developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets of GDP. Bahrain is striving to drive further growth in the telecoms
Bahrain. The telecommunications sector in Bahrain is robust and sector in 2020 by ensuring it is competitive and adaptable to

118 MARCH 2020