Page 91 - SAMENA Trends - October 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

With the rollout of 5G telecom technology threatening to recent years, the Authority noted, has necessitated the adoption
unleash a new wave of tower building in the Sultanate, the of framework that regulate the construction of new towers.
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) is weighing Besides mandatory telecom licensees to obtain approval before
regulation to ensure, among other things, that new towers constructing new towers, the proposed regulation requires that
are aesthetically appealing in their design, particularly when new instructions should be designed with the aesthetic standards
constructed in scenic and culturally significant areas. The and specifications of the area in line with the elements of the
measurements are the part of guidelines set out in draft regulation environment surrounding as much as possible, such as using
on Communication towers published recently by the Authority to color and architectural styles that minimize the visual impact on
click feedback from Industry stakeholders and the general public. the public. Additionally, hardware and other equipment installed
Before they are formally adopted into law. To date there are on the towers should be suitably concealed, it noted. Furthermore,
estimated 3200 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network sites distributed to reduce the wanton construction of new towers, the draft
across the length and breadth of the country, a figure that is regulations advocate the concept of shareable towers with the
set to grow when a third operator commences operating likely original licensees encouraged to leave space and capacity to
before the end of this year. The proliferation of telecom towers in other licensees on tenancy basis. (October 16, 2021) omanobserver.om

Pakistan

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has revoked the no longer providing services in any of its licensed areas. As such,
licenses of fixed wireless provider Wi-Tribe for failing to comply the PTA determined that Wi-Tribe had violated the conditions of
with the conditions of its concessions after a commercial dispute its license and revoked the concessions. (October 27, 2021) commsupdate.
with infrastructure provider edotco led to the discontinuation of com
its services. The tower infrastructure provider switched off Wi-
Tribe’s network in July 2020 following a disagreement between The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has awarded
the two companies over edotco’s services. Wi-Tribe argued that spectrum licenses for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)
edotco had demanded ‘huge sums of money for disrupted and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) to a
faulty services’ and had shut down the provider’s facilities without trio of mobile operators, following the completion of the auction
the necessary notice ‘as an extortion and blackmail exercise to process in late September. Cellcos Zong, Telenor Pakistan and
gain commercial advantage’. Wi-Tribe submitted a complaint to Ufone were each awarded additional spectrum for the region
the PTA regarding the matter, but that case remains pending. In for the provision of 3G and 4G services. As previously reported
its submissions to the PTA, Wi-Tribe stressed that its commercial by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, the auction comprised
relationship with edotco was imposed upon it following the frequencies in the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, with the former
acquisition of its original infrastructure partner Towershare by split into two 2×5MHz blocks and five lots of 2×1.2MHz whilst the
edotco and that Towershare’s pricing and services had been latter was sold as six lots of 2×5MHz. Each of the trio claimed one
competitive. In its decision the PTA highlighted that, regardless of the 2×1.2MHz blocks in the 1800MHz band, whilst Zong won
of the cause of the disruption, licensees are obligated to ensure the remaining 2×10MHz in that band for USD14.398 million after
provision of services to customers and that Wi-Tribe had failed to 18 rounds of bidding against rival cellco Jazz. In the 2100MHz
do so. The watchdog went on to state that Wi-Tribe had not taken range, meanwhile, Telenor was awarded 2×15MHz at the base
‘proper, reasonable and justifiable measures’ for the continuation price of USD13.05 million. (October 12, 2021) commsupdate.com
of its licensed services, noting that by January 2021 Wi-Tribe was

Qatar

Qatar had developed a mature telecom sector which has been on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year
able to absorb the additional data demands made on it during the the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience
pandemic. Mobile services based on LTE are universally available, a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be
and this has helped the two operators Ooredoo Qatar and difficult for network operators to manage workflows when
Vodafone Qatar to migrate to 5G. In combination with a strong maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall
fiber rollout, the country is aiming to provide gigabit services progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some
nationally. 5G services are largely based on 3.5GHz spectrum countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services
made available following an auction in early 2019. BuddeComm and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-
notes that the pandemic continues to have a significant impact scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable
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