Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - October 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

domain name owner wants to move, and clarifying mechanisms bh) to book Arabic extensions for six months from the launch of
for filing complaints and resolving disputes in the event of a the service, after which it will be made available to the general
dispute over the right to use between domain name owners etc. In public. TRA would like to note that during the quarter 4 of 2021,
addition to (.bh) domain name, an International Top Level registration will be open for trademark & CR holders initially,
Domain Name in Arabic has been assigned for those wishing to followed by locally based entities and institutions and individuals,
use the names of their websites in Arabic. Priority will be granted and then registration will be open to the international public.
to those with a (.bh) digital presence and local extensions (i.e edu. (October 18, 2021) TRA Bahrain

Egypt

The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has started measures include providing mobile phone coverage in strategic
implementing an urgent plan to expand cell phone coverage on roads in the governorates of Ismailia, Suez, New Valley, Aswan,
five main roads. NTRA will launch a limited tender for companies Giza, Beni Suef, and Minya. The first road is extending across
licensed to establish and operate mobile phone base stations the 30th of June axis from Cairo-Ain Sokhna Road to the Cairo-
at a cost of EGP 324m. The service will start operating by 2022. Ismailia Desert Road, connecting the governorates of Ismailia
The authority will finance the project through the Universal and Suez. The second road is the Paris Lake spillway road in the
Service Fund (USF). USF is a fund concerned with financing New Valley governorate. The third road connects Aswan-Abu
the projects of the national communications and information Simbel Road to Arqin in Aswan governorate. The fourth road is Al-
technology plans and the infrastructure projects necessary Kuraymat Road to Beni Suef, linking Giza Governorate with Beni
to provide basic telecommunications services. This comes Suef. The Fifth road connects the Cairo-Assiut Desert Road and
within the framework of the role of NTRA in developing and Cairo-Aswan Eastern Desert Road in Minya governorate. NTRA,
disseminating telecommunications services throughout the through the help of USF, previously financed projects to establish,
country, with the aim of enhancing national and social cohesion operate, and provide mobile phone services for 17 strategic roads
and achieving economic growth. It is also part of the national across the country, with a total length of 2,700 km and a cost of
project to cover main roads with mobile service and providing EGP 862m within the framework of an integrated plan to cover
basic communication services and road aid on strategic roads new roads with telecommunications services.
across Egypt. NTRA explained in a press release today that these (October 11, 2021) dailynewsegypt.com

Lebanon

Lebanon’s parliamentary Media and Communications Committee the problems facing the sector: ‘The dilemma is not limited to
yesterday issued an urgent warning that the telecoms sector could the inability to secure diesel, but also the inability to purchase
‘collapse’ within days due to fuel shortages. Voice and internet spare parts, whose prices have become exorbitant. In addition, we
services have been intermittently suspended in various regions have thefts targeting telecom networks in Lebanon, some stolen
in recent months after problems stemming from the country’s pieces of spare parts and transmission poles are being sold
financial crisis, and electricity shortages were exacerbated by online. It turned out that Touch and Alfa, which get diesel from
shortages of diesel to power back-up generators, with vital sectors oil facilities, now have to pay for it in dollars, so now government
including hospitals, education and communications all suffering institutions are required to pay in dollars. This is complicated
as a result. The latest statement from the Committee disclosed: because companies do not have the right to buy with dollars from
‘The quantity of diesel at Lebanon’s state-owned Touch and the market, and this increases the cost, and this foreign currency
Alfa mobile companies and the state-run telecommunications is not available.’ Committee member Rola Al-Tabash explained
company Ogero, which operates fixed lines and fixed internet, further to Arab News: ‘We would slide into a new crisis that
is enough to run for only a few days, [without which] telecom paralyses everything in Lebanon and isolates it from the world if
services will crumble.’ Arab News notes that the Committee diesel for the telecom network’s generators is not provided. The
yesterday agreed to ‘open an additional credit for Ogero to meet Ministry of Energy’s policy over the years has led to this inability
its needs for fuel and spare parts, at a value of LBP350 billion to secure power. The General Directorate of Oil, which considers
[USD232 million] in the 2021 budget.’ Telecoms minister Johnny itself an independent administration, has set its prices in dollars,
Korm is expected to present the issues to Cabinet today. Head and the state cannot buy with dollars.’
of the Committee, Hussein Hajj Hassan, highlighted some of (October 6, 2021) Arab News

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