Page 86 - SAMENA Trends - October 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

O! Declines to Pay for 2300MHz License in Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Digital Development issued a press and KGS342.1 million respectively to the state budget – these
release dated 12 October 2021 stating that mobile operator Nur figures being slightly lower than the winning bids initially reported
Telecom (O!) has decided not to buy the 2300MHz TDD spectrum by the State Communications Agency (SCA). TeleGeography
license covering capital city Bishkek which it won at auction last notes that the Bishkek 2300MHz spectrum had been returned to
month. In the auction completed on 27 September 2021, O! had state ownership for re-auction following an investigation led by
placed a winning bid of KGS353.2 million (USD4.2 million) for a the State Committee for National Security launched in April 2020,
1×20MHz (2340MHz-2360MHz) frequency license, while rivals which resulted in the reversal of two previous SCA decisions
MegaCom and Beeline won larger bandwidths of 1×40MHz apiece (Orders No. 115-pr/123-pr, March 2020) permitting cableco Ala-
with bids of KGS296.1 million and KGS360.1 million respectively. TV’s private sale of the entire 100MHz block to Beeline and its
The Ministry reported that MegaCom and Beeline have now paid conversion from MMDS (TV transmission) to TD-LTE without
for their Bishkek 2.3GHz licenses, transferring KGS281.3 million public tender.

T-Mobile, O2 Offer Czech Concessions in EC Probe

Deutsche Telekom and PPF proposed changes in operating a the shared network, and for CETIN to prevent information “spill-
network sharing agreement sealed between their subsidiaries in over” between T-Mobile and O2’s Czech units. If accepted, the
the Czech Republic, in an effort to alleviate competition concerns commitments made by the companies would be in force until
raised by the European Commission (EC). In a statement, the EC 28 October 2033. In case these proposals get breached after
explained it sought feedback regarding concessions offered by approval, the EC could impose a fine of up to 10 per cent of each
T-Mobile CZ, and PPF’s O2 Czech unit and telecoms infrastructure company’s global turnover.
arm CETIN, in relation to an investigation it commenced in 2016
over concerns a network sharing deal between the parties could
reduce infrastructure innovation and competition. A preliminary
assessment which was adopted by the Commission in August
claimed the network sharing deal “may restrict competition”
by reducing the ability and incentives of the companies to
“unilaterally invest in network infrastructure” and therefore could
negatively affect the ability of T-Mobile and O2 to compete in
the Czech market. To alleviate EC concerns, the companies have
offered to modernize the mobile network through deploying
multi-standard RAN equipment in certain radio frequency layers,
alongside ensuring provided investments or services have cost-
based pricing. Another proposal would minimize information
exchange to the “absolutely necessary” for the needs to operate

Arcep Confirms 5G Spectrum Applicants in Reunion, Mayotte

The Authority of Regulation for Electronic Communications and In Mayotte, meanwhile, 700MHz frequencies have been requested
Posts (Autorite de Regulation des Communications Electroniques by Orange, SFR Mayotte, Telco OI Mayotte and Maore Mobile.
et des Postes, Arcep) has confirmed that it has received 5G Maore Mobile and Telco OI Mayotte have also applied for 900MHz
spectrum applications from a number of companies in the French spectrum. All 700MHz/900MHz bidders will now progress to the
overseas territories of Reunion and Mayotte. The process was ‘auction phase’, in which Arcep judges the financial criteria of
kickstarted on 3 August 2021 and the deadline for applications the respective offers. Applications for frequencies in the 3.4GHz-
was 12 October. In Reunion the watchdog has received bids from 3.8GHz range, however, do not exceed the available spectrum
Orange, Societe Reunionnaise du Radiotelephone (SFR Reunion), blocks, so these can be distributed without an auction. The
Telco OI (Free Reunion) and Zeop Mobile. All four companies have watchdog expects to hand over the frequency authorizations by
requested spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.4GHz-3.8GHz bands. March 2022.

86 OCTOBER 2021