Page 120 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

contracts in all its branches and outlets. This obligation will innovation labs to produce advanced solutions in order to address
enter into force in 90 days, the commission announced through existing challenges by innovative digital ways. Al-Thenayyan
its official Twitter account. The authority obliged companies to stated that the Saudi technology development strategy is focused
dispense paper contracts and use e-contracts, sign them and on creating an ecosystem attractive to investment in emerging
verify identity digitally. With this approach, the Saudi commission technologies such as Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence,
seeks to enable digital transformation, develop its services, robotics, blockchain, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, which
and facilitate transactions between all parties, it referred. It is have significant role in supporting digital transformation in several
noteworthy that the telecommunications services in Saudi Arabia sectors such as industry, energy, health, finance and government.
are provided by the Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Etihad Etisalat He said that the existence of major oil and petrochemical
Company (Mobily), the Mobile Telecommunication Company companies such as Aramco and SABIC, in addition to the new
Saudi Arabia (Zain KSA) and Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication Giga projects of NEOM and Red Sea, together with the demand
Company (GO). (December 17, 2019) english.mubasher.info volume offer a very important opportunity to rebrand the Kingdom
as a regional and global hub for innovative digital solutions and
Dr. Ahmed Al-Thenayyan, Deputy Minister for Technology and use cases based on emerging technologies in the fields of energy
Digital Capacities Development at the Ministry of Communications and petrochemicals. The Ministry is working to attract promising
and Information Technology, stressed the importance of emerging investments in the emerging technologies sector and provide the
technologies’ role in accelerating the current and unprecedented conditions for relevant business growth and localization in the
transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and achieving region. Through several factors, including but not limited to the
a higher contribution to GDP driven by the potential of these development of policies and legislation stimulating investment
technologies for enabling entrepreneurship and innovation. and potential and digital infrastructure. In conclusion, he touched
This came during his keynote speech at the opening of Saudi on the ICT Strategy 2023, endorsed recently by the Council of
Emerging Technologies Forum, held in Riyadh, in the presence Ministers, which included priorities aimed at developing the
of prominent local and global leaders and decision makers in the Kingdom’s digital capacities and investing them in an optimal way
field of technology. Dr. Al-Thenayyan pointed out that the Ministry in driving the growth of future projects with a view to achieving
has developed numerous programs and initiatives geared toward the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and raising the efficiency of the
investing in national talent, doubling the size of technology market, public and private sectors by enabling digital transformation to
stimulating digital entrepreneurship and inspiring innovation make the Kingdom one of the world’s leading countries in ICT.
and creativity using emerging technologies. He also noted the Digital transformation to become the Kingdom of the world’s
partnership with the private sector in stimulating adoption of leading countries in the field of communications and information
emerging intentions through establishing joint specialized digital technology. (November 11, 2019) mcit.gov.sa

Sri Lanka

Bharti Airtel Lanka (Airtel Lanka) announced that it has been spectrum (if any) within the above band.’ The criteria further
awarded a 5MHz block of spectrum in the 900MHz band mentioned that the ‘evaluation will be based on to guarantee
by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri interference free spectrum’. The award will result in wider
Lanka (TRCSL). The cellco said the allocation was made on coverage, providing Airtel users with enhanced voice and data
an ‘administrative basis’ related to pre-published criteria that experience. ‘This is the first step in a bold strategy from Airtel
stipulates that ‘in order to create a level playing field for all which aims to leapfrog current benchmarks in order to provide an
four mobile operators, every operator shall have equal amount unbeatable user experience,’ said Airtel Lanka Managing Director/
of spectrum at all possible times in such economical bands. CEO Jinesh Hegde, adding that the company has already begun
Therefore, during evaluation of applications the prominence will using the newly allocated frequency after paying the required fee
be given to minimize unequal distribution of radio frequency (which was not disclosed). (November 15, 2019) telegeography.com

Turkey

The Information and Communication Technologies conditions for authorization, authorization periods and fees,
Authority (“ICTA”) presented for public consultation the draft competency controls, rights and obligations of operators, and
amendments to the legislation on authorization in the electronic authorization cancellation procedures for operators failing to
communications sector on December 5, 2019. The amendments provide electronic communication services. The ICTA plans to
introduce new regulations on several topics, including application introduce amendments to the Regulation on Authorization in the

120 NOVEMBER 2019