Page 139 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

indeed the continent. A source, however, told Reuters indicated in July it had already significantly cut down
that while a ban will not be formally issued, the German its business with Huawei since 2017, as it struck a
government will effectively strangle Huawei in red tape deal with Ericsson to deploy its 5G RAN and spectrum
and “the final outcome is the same”. Deutsche Telekom sharing solutions. (September 30, 2020) mobileworldlive.com

The Ministry of Communications (MoC), the Ghana one of our important agenda. We selected Huawei as
Investment Fund for Electronic Communications a partner in this rural network project as we have seen
(GIFEC) and the Export-Import Bank of China officially Huawei’s unremitting efforts in bridging the digital
signed a financing agreement on 29 September divide.’ (September 30, 2020) commsupdate.com
Ghana under which Huawei Technologies Ghana will deploy The National Communications Authority (NCA) has
more than 2,000 Rural Star sites in rural areas of the
country. The network project, which is scheduled for initiated a public consultation on revised guidelines for
completion by September 2021, is expected to provide the deployment of communication towers. The purpose
voice and data services to over 3.4 million people in of the review is to include emerging industry standards
underserved and unserved communities, thereby and procedures for the installation of communication
extending national mobile coverage from 83% to 95%. towers, facilitate the development of infrastructure to
The initiative is being led by the MoC through GIFEC, enhance the delivery of quality services and address
a government agency mandated to facilitate the environmental issues. Interested parties are invited to
provision of universal access to basic telephony, and submit their comments before 23 October. Aspects of
will be leased to mobile network operators (MNOs) the guidelines to be revised include a requirement for
which will be responsible for market expansion and parties intending to construct a tower to demonstrate
user development after its completion. Whereas that all reasonable steps have been taken to
traditional rural network infrastructure employs investigate tower sharing before applying for a permit
microwave or satellite transmission, towers and diesel to construct a new tower within a specified radius of
generators, Huawei’s Rural Star solution uses Relay 300m in built-up areas and 200m elsewhere. Under
Remote Node (RRN) wireless backhaul, simple poles the revised requirements for co-location, operators
and solar energy, reducing the cost by more than 50%. must, in consultation with the NCA and Environmental
Mr. Abraham Kofi Asante, the Administrator of GIFEC, Protection Agency (EPA), cooperate to agree issues
noted the agency has already deployed 400 Rural Star relating to site access, security, rates and compensation,
sites in over 2,000 rural communities through the Rural while the tower owners shall provide information to
Telephony Project, providing mobile network coverage the NCA, EPA and Metropolitan, Municipal and District
to more than 1.2 million people. ‘Partnering with Assemblies on an annual basis to maintain a database
Huawei on this project, therefore, will ensure that all of towers available for co-location. A new clause also
persons in Ghana are part of government’s digitization forbids any sanction being applied to a new tower that
agenda, and improve the socio-economic wellbeing of is compliant with the stipulated location requirements
people living in Rural Ghana,’ he added. Commenting relating to proximity to high voltage transmission lines
on the project, Communications Minister Ursula if these are subsequently compromised by electricity
Owusu-Ekuful said: ‘ICT development plays a vital providers. Finally, the guidelines set out revised
role in revitalizing the national economy, especially in timelines for obtaining permits from the coordinating
promoting rural economic development. Accelerating agencies and details of an applicant’s right to appeal.
the improvement of rural communications facilities is (September 25, 2020) commsupdate.com

The telecommunications authority EETT has into the proposed extension of a 4G network sharing
announced the extension of the application deadline agreement between local cellcos Wind and Vodafone.
for the 5G auction covering the 700 MHz, 2 GHz, 3400- The regulator approved the extension after finding
3800 MHz and 26 GHz radio bands. The watchdog that the agreement does not contain ‘restrictive
Greece delayed the deadline to 30 October from 23 October. terms of competition’ and does not concern the
sharing of spectrum or the backbone networks of
The bidders will be announced on 21 December.
(October 15, 2020) telecompaper.com the two companies. In addition, it was found that the
geographical scope of the deal is mainly focused on
The Greek National Telecommunications & Post rural and semi-rural areas and it therefore benefits the
Commission (Ethniki Epitropi Tilepikoinonion kai inhabitants of these areas to have access to improved
Tachydromeion, EETT) has completed its investigation 4G coverage. (September 29, 2020) commsupdate.com

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