Page 120 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

in the allocation application was not properly secured,” accept it, but I think it is unreasonable.” It was only in
said second Vice Science Minister, Kang Do-Hyun February this year that Stage X emerged as the winner
in a press conference. A representative of Stage X, of a spectrum auction, placing a bid of $322.1 million
Seo Sang-won has refuted the claims, saying “we for a license in the 28 GHz (‘mmWave’) band. The newly
submitted a plan to the government and are proceeding established company was due to launch services in
accordingly, but they suddenly ignore it and say it is 2025. (June 17, 2024) www.totaltele.com
wrong. If I understand the government’s argument, I will

In October 2021, the Togolese telecoms regulator It was in April 2023 that ARCEP started the technical
carried out a study to determine the opinion of the implementation of mobile number portability in Togo,
population regarding the launch of mobile number in accordance with the relative regulations adopted in
portability. 95% of consumers were in favor of July 2022 and approved by the government a month
Togo this idea. The Regulatory Authority for Electronic later. The initiative follows a market study carried out
by the regulator in October 2021, which showed that
Communications and Posts of Togo launched mobile
number portability recently. It was during an official 95% of Togolese consumers were in favor. The advent
ceremony chaired by Cina Lawson, the Minister of the of portability should make it possible to introduce more
Digital Economy and Digital Transformation. Togolese competition into the Togolese mobile telephony market,
telecoms consumers will now be able to change for the benefit of consumers. According to ARCEP data
mobile telephone operator while retaining their original for the 4th quarter of 2023, Moov Africa holds 59% of
numbers. “ Their choice will now only be based on the 7.5 million mobile telephone subscribers, while
the quality of service offered by the operators or on Togo Cellular holds a market share of 41%.
the affordability of the tariff offers ” explains ARCEP. (May 7, 2024) www.agenceecofin.com

Ofcom has confirmed that it will revoke the current of Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion acquisition
mobile operator licenses for the unpaired part of the of Juniper Networks. In a brief statement the regulator
2100MHz band by 3rd April 2029. The licenses are held indicated it planned to look into whether the combination
by EE, Three UK and Virgin Media 02. The unpaired part of the two companies would cut competition for
United of the 2100MHz band was originally auctioned off in goods and services in the UK market. It is working to
a deadline of 14 August to decide whether to refer the
April 2000 to support the rollout of 3G mobile broadband
Kingdom networks. All four of the major MNOs currently use deal for a deeper investigation and is inviting comments
the paired radio spectrum in the 2100MHz band. But from interested parties until 3 July. Having announced
the slice of unpaired part of that same band is largely the deal at the start of 2024, the bosses of the two
unused and the operators don't have any plans to deploy companies extolled the benefits of the combination at
higher-power services in the spectrum. This is primarily MWC Barcelona 2024, highlighting deemed positives
due to the lack of a supportive ecosystem, as well as the for customers in the telecommunications sector
need for a guard band against paired spectrum, which is and beyond. During that session HPE president and
used to reduce the risk of interference, and the limited CEO Antonio Neri and Juniper Networks chief Rami
bandwidth it offers. Ofcom is looking to ensure optimal Rahim pointed to the potential of the joint company in
use of the unpaired 2100MHz spectrum, which resulted providing solutions to deal with increased power and
in its decision at the end of 2023 to revoke all existing performance requirements from infrastructure in the AI
licenses. The regulator said that the spectrum that will era. In the company’s earnings call held on 4 June Neri
be freed could be better used by the emergency services, said the deal was currently going through the regulatory
railways or the utilities sector. Ofcom has formally given process and is expected to close in line with an originally
five years' notice to the operators that their licenses will communicated estimate of the end of 2024 or early
be revoked. (June 20, 2024) www.commsbusiness.co.uk 2025. In addition to getting through UK authorities, the
deal will also have to be cleared by regulators in various
The UK Competition and Markets Authority kicked-off a other markets including the duo’s home country of the
preliminary investigation into the potential ramifications US. (June 19, 2024) www.mobileworldlive.com

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