US mobile giant Verizon Wireless – the market’s largest wireless operator in terms of subscribers – has broken its silence on the controversial USD39 billion would-be merger between AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile USA, declaring that it sees no problem with the tie-up, as long as it does not involve increased regulation for the market as a whole. Speaking to Total Telecom at the Morgan Stanley TMT Conference in Barcelona, Francis Shammo, chief financial officer for Verizon, commented: ‘We have been very silent on this one. The reason we’ve been silent: we said there needs to be consolidation and as long as there is consolidation without regulation we don’t have an objection to it’.

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Source: Telegeography

Charts, diagrams, charts, measurements, and more charts. This summation of nearly every document that passes through the FCC sounds only slightly more fun than staring at the Matrix all day, yet we still find ourselves a bit giddy when seeing highly anticipated phones take their turn getting the Federal nod of approval. And so it is with the Samsung i937, which is most likely the Focus S -- one of three tantalizing Windows Phone choices aimed at reaching stores "this fall." It's about what we'd expect, really: aside from sporting the usual AT&T frequencies, there's not much more that we can discern from the pages and pages of numbers and colorful pictures that depict phone radiation. Exciting stuff, we know, but Windows Phone 7.5 is at least one step closer to being in the clutches of our lonely mitts.

See Press Release 
Source: FCC 

French telecoms regulator Arcep has sold the first blocks of fourth-generation (4G) mobile frequencies in the 2600MHz band for a total of EUR936 million (USD1.28 billion), awarding concessions to all four of the country’s main mobile network operators. The watchdog says it received the highest bid from Iliad’s Free Mobile – the start-up that is preparing to enter the market within the next few months. Free Mobile agreed to pay EUR271 million for the two larger blocks of 2×20MHz spectrum. France Telecom (Orange) was also allocated a duplex frequency block of 20MHz, for which it bid a little over EUR287 million. FT also agreed to host mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) on its new infrastructure. Meanwhile, Vivendi’s Societe Francaise du Radiotelephone (SFR) bid EUR150 million for a 2×15MHz block of spectrum, and Bouygues Telecom offered EUR228 million for a duplex frequency block of 15MHz.

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography

The European Union still can’t decide if Google’s massive presence in the web search business can be classified as an abuse of dominance that’s hurting competition for others in the field, reports Reuters. Google has the majority of all search traffic requests, but an “abuse of dominance” is not the same as dominance itself, said EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia Friday. In November 2010, the European Commission first opened up an investigation about the matter after rival companies like Microsoft accused Google of abusing its dominant position in the search market. If Google is found in violation of abusing its dominance, it could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its global financial turnover.

See Press Release 
Source: VentureBeat

The Federal Trade Commission proposed Thursday to revamp its online child privacy rules to reflect the ubiquity of smartphones and geolocation services. The proposed updates (.pdf) to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 were welcomed by many in the privacy community. They see the new proposal as a means to combat behavioral advertising targeting America’s youth. By contrast, Facebook, Microsoft, the Entertainment Software Association, the Toy Industry Association and others are arguing for self-regulation when it comes to targeted, online behavioral advertising. The law in question, commonly referred to as COPPA, is designed to protect the privacy of children under 13. Among other things, a major proposed upgrade generally would forbid websites and mobile apps that cater to children under 13 from deploying tracking cookies or using GPS location tracking for marketing without parental consent.

See Press Release 
Source: Wired

On 7th Decemeber 2010 UPC applied to UOKiK for granting the consent to take control over Aster. Both companies provide chargeable cable tv services, access to the braodband Internet and the stationary telephony. As the combined turnover of undertakings participating in the transaction exceeded the equivalent of EUR 1 billion, the concentration was subject to notification to the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

See Press Release
Source: UOKiK

The Department of Justice today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block AT&T Inc.’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA Inc.   The department said that the proposed $39 billion transaction would substantially lessen competition for mobile wireless telecommunications services across the United States, resulting in higher prices, poorer quality services, fewer choices and fewer innovative products for the millions of American consumers who rely on mobile wireless services in their everyday lives.

See Press Release
Source: US Department of Justice

Indian telco says it will work with authorities to allay any concerns. India's Directorate of Enforcement has begun a probe into suspected foreign exchange violations by Bharti Airtel Ltd., the country's federal junior finance minister said Tuesday. The Enforcement Directorate, a unit of the federal finance ministry, investigates violations of foreign exchange laws and money laundering. Namo Narain Meena also told lawmakers the country's markets regulator--the Securities and Exchange Board of India--has received complaints over an alleged increase in share holding by its founders to 67.15% from 60.91% in the company between June 2007 and September 2008, without extending an open offer to public shareholders.

See Press Release 
Source: TotalTelecom

Primus Telecommunications has announced that its subsidiary company, Globility Communications, a Canadian local exchange carrier, has entered into an agreement to sell its 3.5 GHz fixed wireless spectrum licenses in 29 rural and urban markets across Canada for C$15 million. The license transfer is subject to Industry Canada approval. PTGi indirectly owns a 45.6% interest in Globility. Peter D. Aquino, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "PTGi is in full agreement with Globility's decision to monetize these non-core investments. This strongly complements PTGi's focus of investing in Canada in areas in which we can build sustainable long-term advantages for growth." The identity of the buyer was not disclosed.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

The Ghanaian government has issued a warning to would-be start-up Globacom, a Nigeria-based telco with operations in Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire, to launch commercial services in the country by 15 September, or face sanctions. Unconfirmed reports from online news journal Peacefmonline say the ultimatum was delivered by the Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, in his opening address to the 20th anniversary seminar of the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) in Accra last week. The minister reportedly delivered a paper titled ‘The telecom industry in perspective: History, overview and contemporary challenges of the media in Ghana’, in which he noted the government’s ire that Globacom, which was licensed about four years ago and planned to launch under the Glo Mobile banner, has yet to offer any full-blown service. Iddrisu is quoted as saying of the newcomer’s heel-dragging ‘it is about time we take the company on because they have the Ghanaian market space waiting for too long.’

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography

According to the Times of Swaziland, the government is currently considering applications from four international telecoms operators that are interested in entering the country’s mobile phone market. The four as-yet-unnamed companies – which are collectively based in Israel, Kenya and South Africa – are believed to have submitted proposals to the Swaziland Investment Promotions Authority (SIPA) during the first half of 2011. SIPA director Phiwayinkhosi Ginindza has indicated that, barring regulatory hurdles, Swaziland could have a second operational cellco before the end of 2011. Although the newspaper claims to be aware of the identities of the interested parties, it plans to keep them under wraps until the decision-making process gains momentum.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Reuters reports that Hungary’s national telecoms regulator, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), today launched an international auction for companies wishing to secure the right to use 900MHz mobile frequencies for 15 years. The NMHH is inviting bids through the two-round auction process to award three blocks of spectrum in the 900MHz band for the provision of GSM, UMTS, WiMAX or LTE services. The minimum reserve price for one block of 5MHz of EGSM duplex frequency (or ‘A bloc’), is HUF4 billion (USD20.99 million), while other blocks carry reserves of HUF700 million and HUF560 million. The regulator is looking for bidders to submit applications on or before 20 October and it expects to conclude the tender on 12 December.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Niger’s communications ministry has invited telecoms companies to apply for the West African country’s first 3G cellular licences, Reuters reports, citing a statement on state TV. ‘These licences can go to any operator who desires them,’ the statement said, adding: ‘Operators already set up here and who have global licences also have a chance to acquire one.’ According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, the wireless market in Niger is currently home to four operators, none of which have rolled out a third-generation network. In December 2000 telecoms regulator Autorite de Regulation Multisectorielle (ARM) awarded three 15-year GSM licences costing USD5.8 million each to Celtel (now known as Airtel Niger), Telecel (since rebranded Moov Niger, a subsidiary of Etisalat-owned Atlantique Telecom) and SahelCom, a subsidiary of fixed line incumbent Sonitel.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is reportedly reconsidering a ruling it previously made under which fixed line incumbent Telstra was initially exempted from regulation in 248 exchanges, amid claims that some of the exchanges in question were not meeting exemption requirements. Having previously ruled that exemption would be allowed in those exchange areas where three or more local loop unbundled-based (LLU-based) providers were offering services to 14,000 or more customers, the regulator has now noted: ‘The ACCC is concerned that competitive pressures on Telstra in the exempt exchanges may not be living up to expectations at the time of the original exemption decision.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Brazil's largest telecom group Oi (TNLP4.SA), Telesp (TLPP4.SA), CTBC and Sercomtel will participate in Brazil's National Broadband Plan, Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo said on Thursday. Bernardo said the plan aims to expand high-speed Internet of 1 megabyte per second across Latin America's largest economy of 200 million people at a cost of 35 reais ($22) a month. The companies are expected to start offering the economical broadband Internet in the next 90 days.

See Press Release
Source: Reuters

The Philippine telecoms regulator the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is again considering proposals to reduce fees for mobile services in the country by lowering interconnection charges for voice calls and SMS messages sent between rival networks. It is understood the regulator has published two draft decisions on the matter – akin to previous measures floated in 2008 and 2009 – and is launching a public hearing on the plan, timed to take place before any decision is made on PLDT’s plan to acquire a controlling stake in Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc (Digitel). In a statement released yesterday, the NTC said: ‘The country’s 85 million cellphone subscribers stand to gain from the … thrust of reducing interconnection charges on voice calls and short messaging service.’

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

India's mobile network operators may be allowed to lease their unused radio spectrum to other networks under proposals being considered by the government. However, as the 2G networks did not pay for their spectrum, which is allocated as licenses are awarded, then they should not be allowed to sell the radio spectrum. Many of the incumbent networks are struggling to cope with demand as customer bases exceed their spectrum capacity, while some newer networks sit on unused spectrum after they failed to sign up customers as fast as expected.

See Press Release
Source: Celluar-news

The head of Sierra Leone’s National Commission for Privatization, Abu Bangura, says the country is in discussions with Management Development International Co. (MDIC), a Beirut-based company, over the management of Sierratel. The telco is Sierra Leone’s monopoly fixed line operator, and one of 24 state-owned companies that the commission is seeking to sell. A spokesperson for MDIC confirmed that they are ‘holding discussions’ regarding Sierratel, but provided no further details.

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Source: Telegeography

UK-based applications and services company ROK Global has announced that, following the launch of its ‘Mobile TV’ subscription services with America Movil’s assorted subsidiaries in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay and El Salvador, the service has now gone live with Claro Guatemala and Claro Nicaragua. Mobile TV offers ten different TV channels, spanning news, sports, music and entertainment. Monthly subscriptions are priced at between USD6 and USD10, although daily and weekly payment options are also available to subscribers.

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography

European Commission has expressed a number of concerns on a proposal by the Belgian audiovisual regulators to regulate broadcasting services in Belgium. It has also raised some questions on the Belgian telecommunications regulator's proposal to regulate broadband access. In particular, the Commission is asking the Belgian regulators to take full account of market developments in both markets and to further substantiate and justify its reasoning with regard to the broadcasting market. The Commission's role is to oversee the details of remedies proposed by national telecoms regulators to address competition problems so as to ensure that customers and businesses are able to benefit from a fair and competitive single EU telecoms market, and that operators have the regulatory certainty they need to confidently operate EU-wide.

The plans would oblige Belgacom and cable operators to allow alternative operators to compete more effectively in the markets for both cable and the xDSL (where data is transmitted over telephone networks).

Under the proposed measure, Belgacom would have to give access for competitors to its broadband network (using telephone lines) and the cable operators, Telenet, Brutélé, Numéricable, Tecteo and AIESH would have to give access for competitors to their cable networks.

Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda said "I fully share the objective of the Belgian audiovisual and telecoms regulators to enhance competition for the benefit of the Belgian consumers, who are entitled to more choice and lower prices. However, regulators have to carefully examine market developments and avoid imposing disproportionate obligations on market operators, as this may create unnecessary burdens and ultimately stifle investment and innovation. The Commission has therefore asked the Belgian regulators to carefully examine the competitive conditions in the markets concerned and provide further evidence for their proposed measures".

 

See Press Release 
Source: European commission - Information Society

The French telecom regulator Arcep today launched the auction of fourth-generation (4G) mobile licences in the country, hoping to raise a minimum EUR2.5 billion (USD3.6 billion) for state coffers in the process. The country is one of several EU member states to be auctioning 4G mobile spectrum, which will be used to provide ultra-high speed data applications on mobile phones, PDAs and tablet PCs. Arcep has set a deadline of 15 September for bids for 2600MHz spectrum and 15 December for spectrum applications in the 800MHz band; the latter are considered the most valuable.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Paris, 6 June 2011 – Governments around the world need to rapidly formulate and implement national multi-sectoral broadband plans – or risk being seriously disadvantaged in today’s increasingly high-speed digital environment, according to a new report released today by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development at its third meeting, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The report, entitled Broadband: A Platform for Progress, argues: “To optimize the benefits to society, broadband should be coordinated on a countrywide basis, promoting facilities-based competition and with policies encouraging service providers to offer access on fair market terms...efforts should be coordinated across all sectors of industry, administration and the economy. Developing isolated projects or piecemeal, duplicated networks is not only inefficient, it delays provision of infrastructure that is becoming as crucial in the modern world as roads or electricity supplies.”

The report also makes a strong case for broadband as a driver of economic growth and new jobs, citing country case studies and reports by leading consultancies.

See Press Release 
Source: ITU press release

A new draft regulation that will regulate the operations of telecoms service providers in the country and ensure that operators provide quality service and are held accountable if they fail, will be ratified in two weeks by the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah , who disclosed this in a telephone chat with THISDAY stressed that the commission was not folding its arms but had been hampered by a lack of regulation that has made direct action to enforce service quality unlawful.

See Press Release 
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

Spain's Ministry of Industry has announced that France Telecom and TeliaSonera have both been granted radio spectrum as part of the government's auction. France Telecom has committed to invest EUR433 million (US$600 million) in its network over the next three years in exchange for a block of 900Mhz spectrum. TeliaSonera's local subsidiary, Yoigo offered EUR300 million over the same time frame for a block of 1800Mhz spectrum. The company expects to be able to expand its network and reduce its reliance on a national roaming agreement with Telefonica. The two largest networks, Telefonica Movistar and Vodafone were barred from this round of the auction. The auction process will continue in the coming days, with more spectrum open to other operators, and will likely be completed by June 2, the ministry said.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-News

Vietnam's mobile phone networks, and handset retailers are complaining about a new law that restricts handset imports to just three seaports, in HCM City, Da Nang and Hai Phong. Currently, many of the higher value smartphones are shipped via air-freight and with minimal paperwork needed to clear customs, but the new regulations will also impose additional paperwork requirements. Officially, the restrictions are to cut down on phone smuggling, but local retailers point out that most smuggling is across the land borders and do not go through the government controlled ports. Doan Thanh Nhan, senior executive of Viettel Trade Import-Export Company told the VietNamNet news that the increased bureaucracy would particularly hit sales of Nokia and Apple smartphones. The new regulations are expected to transform a one week order-to-delivery timeframe into something closer to a month, not only delaying the sale of fashionable smartphones, but also causing the phone companies to have to increase their stock holdings to absorb potential delays.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-News

Malaysian WiMAX network, Packet One Networks (P1) has said that it is in "dire need" of additional radio spectrum to continue to manage its subscriber growth, and has asked the regulator to grant it 30Mhz of spectrum in the 2.3Ghz bands. The company already has a 30Mhz block in that band and is one of nine networks due to be allocated a 20Mhz block in the 2.6Ghz band. "The challenge is really roll-out as, for now, its network faces congestion and this deteriorates the Wimax user experience. Any measure taken to address the congestion would be seen as temporary,'' an unnamed source told The Star newspaper, adding that what the company needed was a permanent solution, which was more bandwidth.

See Press Release 
Source: Cellular-News

The Argentine communications ministry, Secretaria de Comunicaciones (SeCom), has announced it will auction wireless spectrum in the 800MHz and 1900MHz bands in the second half of 2011, Dow Jones Newswires reports. Under Resolution 57-2011 published in the Official Bulletin, bidding rules will be available for purchase starting next week. Applicants will have the chance to bid for 5MHz and 10MHz blocks of radio spectrum in the 1890MHz-1985MHz band as well as a 7.5MHz block in the 830MHz-879MHz band; the minimum bidding price has been set at between USD600,000 and USD6 million per MHz depending on the service area and spectrum band.

See Press Release
Source: Total TeleGeography

Belgium’s telecoms regulator, the Belgian Institute for Post and Telecommunications (BIPT), has revealed that the sole applicant for the auction of the country’s fourth 3G licence is Tecteo Telenet Bidco (TTB), a partnership between cable operator Telenet and the Tecteo Group, which owns Walloon-based cableco VOO. As well as unmasking the previously anonymous bidder, the regulator confirmed that it had accepted TTB’s application, noting that ‘the licence could even be granted before the start of the summer’.

See Press Release
Source: Total TeleGeography

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is reportedly considering the cancellation of just 15 mobile telephony licences for failure to meet network rollout requirements, compared to the more than 60 suggested in November 2010 by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India’s Economic Times reports. According to the report, two unnamed DoT officials have claimed that the TRAI’s method of assessing network rollout was flawed, and it is understood that the DoT will send a communication to it in the next few days making this assertion.

See Press Release 
Source: Total TeleGeography

The government of Bangladesh has decided to ask the country’s telecoms regulator to reissue licences to two of the five fixed-wireless operators which had their operations closed down in March 2010 for alleged involvement in illegal VoIP business, the Financial Express reports. The communications ministry on Thursday issued a letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) requesting that PSTN operating licences be reissued to RanksTel and National TeleCom (NationalPhone), while sources quoted by the Bangladeshi paper said that the remaining three telcos – PeoplesTel, Dhaka Phone and WorldTel – would also get permission to resume their operations ‘in phases.’

See Press Release
Source: Total TeleGeography

Malawi’s Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has awarded a public telecommunication services licence to locally-owned company Celcom Limited, The Nation Online reports. The concession allows Celcom to provide both fixed and wireless telephony services in the country. The company, which is required to roll out services by October 2012, beat competition from three other companies, namely Zambezi Africa Telecom, C-Mobile Holdings Limited and Smart Telecom Limited. ‘We are impressed with the confidence MACRA has demonstrated in us by awarding us the licence and we are ready to make a difference,’ commented Celcom’s managing director, Ted Sauti Phiri.

See Press Release 
Source: Total TeleGeography

Jean-Ludovic Silicani, the head of France’s national telecoms regulatory authority Arcep, has warned domestic operators that they will need to find an additional EUR1.5 billion (USD2.2 billion) per annum on top of their existing fixed and mobile CAPEX budgets over the next 15 years. In an interview with Les Echos, Silicani said that in 2010 French telcos invested EUR6 billion – a record high – which is helping the country to achieve a satisfactory level of competition in the market. The Arcep official also told the paper that mobile revenues from the network operators are expanding by between 1% and 2% a year, although tariffs are down 3%-4%.

See Press Release
Source: Total TeleGeography

The Guinean government has threatened to revoke the mobile network license held by South Africa's MTN if it does not make a payment of EUR15 million by the 2nd May to settle a long running dispute. MTN brought the local mobile network, Areeba in 2007 as part of the US$5.53 billion offer for Investcom, which had mobile phone operations in Africa and the Middle East. Since the transaction, the government has claimed that it is owed EUR15 million from the deal. A spokesman for MTN in South Africa told the Reuters news agency that he could not immediately comment on the issue.

See Press Release 
Source: Total Telecom

Kenya's largest mobile network operator, Safaricom has been accused of delaying requests for Mobile Number Portability by the independent holding company managing the service in the country. "The problem lies with Safaricom," Porting Access Kenya Ltd chairman Patrick Musimba said while giving a progress report on the service. "They are not allowing ports to go through."

The MNP service was launched, after many delays at the beginning of last month and in the first month of operations, nearly 44,000 requests to migrate a mobile phone number had been received. However, Musimba said that many requests had been blocked while those that were approved were having problems with SMS messages being routed correctly.

See Press Release 
Source: Total Telecom

The New Zealand and Australian regulators have launched a formal investigation into the trans-Tasman roaming services provided by the two countries' mobile operators. Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce made the announcement this morning with his Australian counterpart Senator Stephen Conroy, at the Korea-Australia-New Zealand (KANZ) Broadband Summit.

"Many New Zealanders take their mobile phone, tablet or laptop with them when they travel to Australia. They need to have confidence that they are purchasing services in a competitive market. If this investigation finds they are not, then regulatory intervention will be considered," says Mr Joyce. The announcement follows the publication in May last year of a discussion paper that sought stakeholder views on whether a formal investigation was warranted.

See Press Release
Source: Celluar-news

Pakistan’s mobile network operators have been given until 17 May 2011 to ensure that all of their respective subscribers’ details are registered and verified, after which non-verified connections must be blocked. According to Pakistan’s Daily Times, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has informed cellcos that all customers must register their SIM card details on their Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs). The regulator has further impressed that all possible measures to ensure mobile customers comply with the deadline, and it is understood that operators have agreed to relaunch a marketing campaign to draw attention to the registration requirements. Introduced in October 2009, the PTA’s ‘SIM Information System 668’ service is likely to be integral in the final push to ensure mobile voice subscriber registrations are up to date. The service allows customers to send their CNIC details via SMS, in return receiving details of any SIMs registered against the identity card. For those still not registered, SIMs can be linked to CNIC’s at both Customer Service Centres nationwide.

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography

Zimbabwe’s three cellular network operators disconnected a combined total of 2.4 million unregistered pre-paid subscriber accounts following the end-February 2011 deadline for registration passing, the regulator POTRAZ has confirmed. Total mobile subscribers declined from around 8.4 million to six million as of this month, as reported by local newspaper ZimDaily. Market leader Econet Wireless Zimbabwe disconnected 1.4 million customer accounts, second-placed Telecel Zimbabwe cut off 692,000 SIM cards and state-run NetOne’s user base shrunk by 300,000 due to non-registration. The cellcos have stressed that all users that have been cut off may re-register with their operator.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Acquisition clears final hurdle a week after Huawei drops intellectual property lawsuit.Chinese regulators have approved Nokia Siemens Networks' planned acquisition of most of Motorola Solutions Inc.'s network-equipment assets, the two companies said Thursday, clearing the path for the deal to close next week. Nokia Siemens Networks, the joint venture between Finland's Nokia Corp. and Germany's Siemens AG, agreed to buy the bulk of Motorola's network-equipment business for $1.2 billion in July last year, but the deal was awaiting approval from China's Ministry of Commerce, which has the authority to review foreign mergers on antitrust grounds.

The sale is a key component of Motorola's restructuring, generating much-needed cash after the company split into two parts: Motorola Solutions, which sells public safety gear; and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., which sells mobile phones and set-top boxes.

See Press Release 
Source: Total Telecom

According to local press reports, mobile operator Vodacom South Africa has confirmed that it has exceeded 1,000 active 43.2Mbps HSPA+ sites on its network. Although the deployment has taken place over time, Vodacom stressed that it did not want to publicise the improved speeds until they had achieved ‘significant’ HSPA+ coverage. CEO Pieter Uys commented: ‘We have actually had the technology up and running for some time, but we wanted to have a critical mass of at least 1,000 base stations before flipping the switch to allow consumers access at up to double the speed. We wanted to make sure that we had the service available in more than just one city’.

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography 

Israel’s Ministry of Communications (MoC) has launched a tender to select two new mobile network operators, Globes Online reports, with four potential bidders set to take part in the sale process. Bidding started at 10am local time on Monday morning, and the regulator is offering two 3G licences, although a number of alterations to the auction process have been made. Under the revised sale plans the starting bid amount has been lowered to ILS10 million (USD2.91 million), down from ILS100 million, with bids to be updated every ten minutes. The second alteration made to the sale was a change in the amount and timing of bids once the ILS100 million threshold is reached; bids will now increase by ILS5 million every ten minutes, instead of rising in ILS1 million increments per hour. Bidding will take place for both concessions simultaneously, and will run until just two would-be buyers remain.

See Press Release 
Source: Telegeography

New policy to allow industry consolidation provided the number of players in any single telecom circle does not fall below six. India will consider easing rules on mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications sector as part of a new policy that could trigger a wave of consolidation in an industry hit by stiff competition.

The rules could be relaxed provided there are at least six players after any deal in a specific service area, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal said Monday. He was speaking to reporters on the broad contours of the new national telecom policy that is expected by the end of 2011. The new policy will replace the one formulated in 1999.

See Press Release 
Source: Total Telecom

Consumers and businesses in Latvia now enjoy better safeguards against unfair competition on telecoms markets following steps taken by Latvia to comply with EU rules on the independence of the national telecoms regulators, in response to an infringement case opened by the European Commission. In particular, Latvia has now ensured a clear separation between the bodies which make telecoms rules and those which provide telecoms services by transferring telecoms regulatory functions regarding radio frequencies and numbering from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.. This separation, also known as structural separation, is essential to preserve the impartiality of national telecoms regulators, guaranteeing fair regulation for consumers and businesses and maintaining competition. The Commission has therefore closed its infringement case against Latvia, which it opened in 2008.

See Press Release 
Source: Europe's Information Society

The UK's Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called on the government to ring-fence revenues raised from next year's 4G license auction and use it to expand broadband internet services in rural areas.
The union says that the money could take the pressure off BBC funding cuts by using a different stream to fund broadband and leave licence fee and digital switchover money where it was meant for.

See Press Release
Source:Cellular-news

Fibre-To-The-Home is beginning to be announced in Africa’s larger markets: Jamii Telecoms in Kenya (see issue 540), i3Africa in South Africa and Algerie Telecom has been piloting it. But for most telcos, the next stage after fibre metronets is rolling out Fibre-To-The-Cabinet. Both offer a route for fixed line telcos to re-invent themselves and position themselves ahead of the competition but there is a need for a good combination of a strong fibre network investment and content services to deliver over the newly created network. Last week Russell Southwood spoke to Sarat Lallah, CEO of Orange Mauritius about its experience.

See Press Release
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

Neelie Kroes Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Digital Agenda European stated that Cloud Computing Strategy needs to aim high and stress that at the edge of a computing era of unprecedented flexibility and economies of scale. That is the promise of the cloud: the chance to turn IT provision into a real utility. And what a big promise that is, given the track record of computing in delivering better and better value. While the opportunities are clear, there is much to be done to ensure that we will take them up and make the best use of them. As with the exploitation of any strategic resource, cloud computing too requires a strategy. It is going to take partnership between industry and government, and European leadership, to ensure that Europe is not merely open or just friendly to cloud providers, but that there is a European effort to actively create the best environment for all parties.

See Press Release 
Source: Europe's Information Society

Mexican fixed line incumbent Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) has unveiled plans to break its fixed line voice operations apart, revealing it aims to form two separate companies, one of which will exclusively serve rural areas, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under the telco’s proposals, which will require the approval of the Secretario de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) and other regulatory bodies, Telmex intends to create a new company, Telmex Social, to service rural regions and those areas of the country ‘in which there is no economic interest of any competitor’. The new company, Telmex said, would continue to pay the same interconnection rates to competitors as the enlarged operator currently does.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography

European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes is visiting the CeBIT2011 information technology (IT) exhibition in Hannover, Germany on 2 and 3 March, where the main theme is cloud computing. Cloud computing is the term used when users such as companies and public administrations, using networks such as the internet, access data and software stored on a service provider's computers in another location (potentially on the other side of the world). It is one of the key enabling information technologies that can help European businesses –especially SMEs – to drastically reduce IT costs, help governments supply services at a lower cost to citizens and make computing much more energy efficient.

See Press Release 
Source: Europe

Algerie Telecom (AT) has resumed service for 3,700 of the 29,833 phone lines that it deactivated in Oran, the country's second largest city. The fixed line incumbent claims that the reconnected subscribers – who are primarily believed to be corporate customers have agreed to pay off their outstanding debt under the 'Seheli' repayment programme, which was launched in October 2010. According to El Moudjahid, AT has recovered around DZD21.5 million (USD291,743) of an estimated DZD367 million in unpaid bills. The telco has confirmed that the Sehelli programme will remain in operation until 1 March 2011. Any customers who make good their debt will be given the option of opening a broadband subscriber account as an incentive.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography

­The Australian Communications and Media Authority has made a declaration prohibiting the supply, possession and operation of jamming devices which are likely to substantially interfere with public mobile telecommunication services (PMTS). Such services include 3G networks and equivalent services such as mobile WiMAX. The Radiocommunications (Prohibition of PMTS Jamming Devices) Declaration 2011 made under section 190 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992 replaces the mobile phone jamming prohibition made in 1999, and follows the ACMA's 2010 review of the effectiveness of that prohibition. The review found that while the prohibition of jamming devices remains necessary, updates to the prohibition were required to address technological change that has occurred since 1999.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-News

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the monopoly provider of wireless services in Costa Rica, will switch off its legacy TDMA network today, despite the platform still registering some 9,000 users. Customers have been given a choice of switching to ICE’s 2G or 3G networks, on either a pre-paid or post-paid basis.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography

The UK's telecoms regulator, Ofcom is proposing to allow the mobile networks to buy and sell their radio spectrum, creating a market place in the industry for the first time. Under the proposals, which cover spectrum at 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz, operators with a greater need for spectrum will be able to make offers for spectrum from those who need it less. Ofcom said that it is hoped that this added flexibility will help operators to respond more quickly to demand.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-News

National regulator Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) says new telecoms operators wishing to set up shop in the country will not be able to offer 3G mobile services, as it lacks spectrum bandwidth as all available frequencies are currently occupied by Nepal Telecom (Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited, or NT) and Spice Nepal Private Ltd (Ncell). Speaking at the latest meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), NTA chairman Bhesraj Kandel confirmed that the only way for operators to get 3G spectrum would be if the existing spectrum was reallocated.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Costa Rica's monopoly for mobile phone services held by the state-owned Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) has been broken after the regulator finally awarded mobile licenses to Telefonica and America Movil. The two companies paid US$95 million and US$77 million respectively for their licenses, according to a statement from the regulator, Sutel. A third license was not awarded, and could be tendered in the future if demand calls for it. The regulator had previously said that five companies - Cable & Wireless, Telefónica, Claro, Digicel and Millicom - have requested the documents and are said to be serious about bidding. Why the other companies chose not to bid for the remaining license was not explained.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

Mobile phone service providers in the country have settled on 60 cents as the new rate they will be charging each other to terminate short messages from Tuesday next week. The move to reduce the rate from Sh2 per short message service follows a directive by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) director-general, Mr Charles Njoroge. He had said last year that he considered the current wholesale termination rate negotiated by the operators extremely high. According to the CCK, termination rates are expected to fall to 5 cents by 2013

See Press Release
Source: All Africa

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) is undertaking a review of the Telemarketing Industry Standard, with the release of a discussion paper today commencing the review process. ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman said the standard has been operating for three years. ‘It’s now appropriate to seek industry and consumer feedback on the effectiveness of the standard and how it might be improved,’ he said. ‘We want to ensure the standard remains current and relevant for consumers and the telemarketing industry.’ The discussion paper seeks views on the operation of the standard in a number of key areas. These include the days and times telemarketing calls may be made, as well as the kind of information marketers are obliged to divulge about themselves and the organisations they represent.

See Press Release
Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority ACMA

Responsible spectrum management and reduction of administrative barriers to network expansion will be key enablers of mobile broadband in South Africa, according to Analysys Mason's latest findings published in a report for the GSMA. The GSMA commissioned Analysys Mason to look at the impact of mobile broadband on the South African economy. The report forecasts that mobile broadband and related industries will generate 1.8 percent of South Africa's GDP (ZAR 72 billion) and as many as 28,000 jobs by 2015, highlighting the vital contribution of this sector to the country's growth.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

Five out of the six original bidders have been qualified to bid in Syria's forthcoming tender for the country's third mobile operator license. Etisalat, France Telecom, Qtel, Turkcell, Saudi Telecom were pre-qualified, with Iranian group Tamco being dropped from the tender. The bids were evaluated by a joint committee from the ministry and a German advisory company. The second phase of the auction competition related to technical qualification will be announced Dec. 12. Applicants need at last three years of experience in operating a cellphone license and must be already operating in two countries with at least 1.5 million customers in each. The two incumbent operators will have to buy out their current BOT agreements and convert to a conventional license agreement. The buyout price has been previously reported as being around US$500 million.

See Press Release
Source:Cellular-news

The Netherlands’ largest telecoms group KPN Telecom (also known as Royal KPN) has informed its customers that from 2011 its call rates for fixed line services will be changing. Under the review of pricing, the telco’s fixed line subscription services will be charged at the same rate for calls made to either a fixed or mobile number, while the cost of international calls will rise. Prices for the incumbent’s combined internet and telephony subscription package ‘Internet Plus Call’ will be adjusted from 15 January 2011, cutting the cost of a call to a mobile number, although fixed-to-fixed calls will more than double in terms of their cost per minute. As it stands, it costs EUR0.04 per minute to call another landline

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

The Communications Commission of Kenya has awarded a 3G license to France Telecom's local subsidiary, making it the third network in the country to hold a 3G license. The company paid US$10 million for the license. France Telecom owns 51% of Telkom Kenya, having paid US$390 million for the stake in 2007. Telkom Kenya, which trades as Orange has already set up a number of 3G sites within all major urban areas and tested them over the past year. The company plans to spend around US$40 million deploying a commercial network and launch the service commercially in the first half of next year.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

A government-appointed panel in Japan, set up to oversee plans to roll out fibre-optic broadband access to all homes by 2015, has said it will not force the incumbent, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT), to spin off the division responsibility for fibre infrastructure. The Nikkei daily reports that although the fibre-optic networks are primarily owned by the telco’s regional units NTT East Corp and NTT West Corp, rivals such as Softbank Corp are calling for government intervention arguing that NTT’s dominance in the sector makes for an unfair playing field.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA will formally announce their joint venture to create a mobile payment network, which will be financially backed by Barclays PLC and Discover Financial Services, as soon as Tuesday, according to people familiar with the situation. The joint venture will be lead by Michael Abbott, formerly chief marketing officer at General Electric Co.'s GE Capital division. Discover and Barclays will also officially announce that they are participating in the venture. A formal announcement can come any time between Tuesday and Thursday.

See Press Release
Source: Total Telecom

Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) says that it has been awarded radio spectrum for LTE services in Armenia. VivaCell-MTS, a majority-owned subsidiary of MTS, is the first mobile operator to have been allocated frequencies for the deployment of a LTE network from Public Services Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Armenia. In accordance with the regulator's decision VivaCell-MTS has an obligation to launch the LTE network into commercial operation before March 2011.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

Ofcom has  published an invitation to comment on the Public Interest Test it will conduct in relation to News Corporation’s intention to acquire the shares in British Sky Broadcasting Plc it does not already own.

This document outlines the considerations Ofcom will make as part of its initial investigation and now invites comments from interested parties.

In considering the public interest, Ofcom will have particular regard to the significance attached by Parliament to sufficient media plurality. And in undertaking an initial investigation of this Public Interest Test Ofcom will specifically consider:

• Content types
• Audiences
• Media platforms
• Control of media enterprises
• Future developments in the media landscape

Ofcom is also seeking views about the potential future impact of the proposed acquisition on the sufficient plurality of persons with control of the media enterprise and on potential remedies or mitigations to any public interest concerns identified by interested parties.

See Press release

Source: OFCOM

Ofcom announced how a new form of wireless communication called “white space technology” will work in practice. This follows an earlier consultation, exploring the potential of the technology, which could be used for a wide range of innovative applications. For example, technology manufacturers have suggested that it might wirelessly link up different devices and offer enhanced broadband access in rural areas. The technology works by searching for unused radio waves called “white spaces” between TV channels to transmit and receive wireless signals. Compared with other forms of wireless technology, such as Bluetooth and WiFi, white-space devices are being designed to use lower frequencies that have traditionally been reserved for TV.

See Press Release
Source: UK Ofcom

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has been called upon to investigate a number of so-called ‘text and win’ promotions being run by Ghanaian telecoms operators amid concerns they may contravene the country’s gaming laws. Ghana Business News says the probe is being forced by Minister of Communications Haruna Iddrisu who has asked the NCA to identify if telecom operators’ practices are consistent with existing rules and regulations. If not, those found to be in breach will be dealt with accordingly. It is understood that MTN and Tigo, in particular, have run campaigns that require customers to text at premium rates in order to stand a chance of winning. However, out of the millions of subscribers who participated in these so-called ‘customer loyalty rewards promotions’ only a few have actually won any prizes.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

The Solomon Islands is planning to tender for a third mobile operator license, the Solomon Island's National Telecommunications Commissioner Nick Williams announced at a speech last week. Mr Williams said this is part of major reforms that took place last year in which the government reached an agreement for Solomon Telekom to give up its exclusive license. The incumbent operator had blocked the launch of the country's second mobile network, bemobile for nearly ten months after its license was originally granted.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

Brazil's telecoms regulator, Anatel has published the details of its planned auction the remaining 3G radio spectrum - the Band H block. The spectrum auction has been designed in a manner that could potentially see a new entrant into the market, although this is felt by analysts to be unlikely. The auction is expected to be held on the 15th December 2010, and the minimum price for the sale of all the frequency blocks in Band H is R$1.1 billion (US $640 million).

The auction will also include some additional 2G spectrum in the 1900Mhz bands. The H band is made up of (10 MHz + 10 MHz), Sub-band extension H (SE) (5 MHz + 5 MHz), sub-bands on the (S), D (S), E (S) and M (S) and extension sub-bands (SE ) 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, including the sub-bands for TDD Systems.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

The Mozambican government has withdrawn its proposal for a new tax on users of mobile phones. On Tuesday, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Paulo Zucula, told reporters that it was not the clients of the mobile phone companies, but the operators themselves, the publicly-owned M-Cel and the local subsidiary of the South African company Vodacom, who were expected to contribute to the new Transport and Communications Development Fund. He thus contradicted a clause in a government decree of 15 September which stated that every client of M-Cel and Vodacom who has a contract with the companies would pay 30 meticais (83 US cents) a month to the fund, while subscribers who use the pre-paid cards would pay five meticais a month. The sums raised by such a tax are far from negligible - they could amount to around 35 million meticais a month.

See Press Release
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

Long-delayed legislation designed to enhance competition, force Australian fixed line incumbent Telstra to structurally separate, increase the powers of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and provide a framework for the country’s upcoming National Broadband Network (NBN) has been reintroduced to parliament, Reuters is reporting. The legislative proposals have been raised in the lower house by Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, with the politician claiming that the regulations would give Telstra more legislative certainty as the telco looks toward the split of its wholesale and retail operations. ‘This bill is an important step on the road to an improved telecommunications industry structure, with better competitive outcomes and stronger safeguards for consumers,’ Mr. Albanese told parliament. Telstra for its part has said that it supports the legislation although it has called for some amendments, and the telco’s CEO David Thodey said of the matter: ‘We believe the interests of Telstra shareholders would be best served by the bill being passed this year so that a definitive agreement on our involvement in the NBN can be reached quickly.’

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Telecom Italia (TLIT.MI) unveiled on Wednesday a new service as part of plans to upgrade its mobile network, amid calls by Italy's telecom regulator for more investment and rival plans to boost mobile broadband coverage. Telecom Italia, Italy's largest telecom operator, said its new service would allow users in Milan and Rome to enjoy speeds of up to 21 Megabits per second over a wireless network, up from a maximum of 14.4 Mbit/second now. The service, to be rolled out nationwide gradually, is part of the company's plans to develop its mobile network to keep up with the growing amount of traffic generated by mobile phones, USB modems, smartphones and tablet computers, it said. "In Italy, there is little use of broadband at home and a lot on the go," Telecom Italia CEO Franco Bernabe told a news conference, noting that 30 percent of Italian users of the social networking site Facebook do so via the mobile network.

See Press Release
Source: Reuters

Kampala — UGANDA's telecom industry is one of the most vibrant in Africa. The call rates have drastically dropped. Patrick Mwesigwa, the Uganda Communications Commission industry regulator's boss stated that the interconnection rate that was announced in June 2010 is a default or reference rate that the operators refer to when negotiations fail between two parties. Today, a number of operators have revised their interconnection rates from a high rate of sh151 to now sh131 in line with what we recommended as the default rate proposed by UCC. We will make efforts to review the rates even downwards. But right now, nobody is complaining about the sh131.

See Press Release
Source: All Africa

Ofcom today published research which shows that nearly half (45%) of consumers with broadband or a landline think that switching communications provider is too much hassle. Ofcom is considering ways to make the switching processes quicker and easier across communications services, initially focusing on broadband and landlines, to improve consumers’ experience and to make competition more effective. Ofcom committed to review switching processes in its latest Annual Plan. In addition, a number of broadband and landline providers, as well as consumer groups, have expressed the view that Ofcom should consider these issues.

See Press Release
Source: OFCOM

CRTC encourages competition and investment in the provision of Internet services The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today determined, on the basis of the evidence submitted at a recent public hearing, that large telephone companies must make their existing Internet access services available to alternate Internet service providers (ISPs) at speeds that match those offered to their own retail customers. This requirement will ensure that alternate ISPs can continue to give Canadians more choice by offering competing and innovative Internet services.

See decision (Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-632)
Source: CRTC

Israel’s Ministry of Justice has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Communications to limit charges levied against customers that seek to terminate their mobile voice subscriptions early. The proposal also stipulates that mobile operators may not request immediate repayment of any outstanding amounts. Reaction to the development from the country’s cellcos has been mixed but the Ministry of Communications said it was introducing the proposal following numerous complaints from subscribers.The new law will come into effect in January 2011.

See article
Source: Telegeography

Durante el primer semestre de 2010, el sector telecomunicaciones registró un crecimiento acumulado de 12.3 por ciento, informó la Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones (COFETEL). En el segundo trimestre del año, el sector tuvo un crecimiento de 11.8 por ciento, de acuerdo con el Índice de Producción del Sector Telecomunicaciones (ITEL), documento que destaca los segmentos de TV Vía Satélite y Trunking como los que registraron mayor dinamismo entre abril y junio de este año.

See Press Release 
Source: Cellular News

The U.S. copyright office issued exemptions to a copyright law, giving legal protection for people who unlock their smartphones like Apple Inc's iPhone. Changing operators' fixed phone settings -- a concept known as 'jailbreaking' -- has become widely popular around the world since the 2007 introduction of Apple's iPhone. The move by the copyright office to give exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), will undermine handset makers like Apple's ability to control the installation of software programs on their phones. The copyright office is part of the Library of Congress.

The Library of Congress, which can define exceptions to existing copyright laws, said in a statement that a user can circumvent the phone's functionality to use any legally obtained software. The ruling also allows users to change the wireless service provider. Currently, AT&T Inc is the sole wireless service provider for Apple in the U.S.

See Press Release
Source: Reuters

Gabon's government has announced a tender to set up and operate a 3G phone network. Tenders have to be submitted to the regulator, Artel by 30th September. "The third generation is a revolutionary tool that will allow the public easier access to information and conduct business transactions over the Internet," said the Minister of Communication, Postal Services and the Digital Economy, Ms Laure Olga Gondjout.
The country currently has four mobile networks, Libertis, Zain, Moov, Azur. According to the Mobile World analysts, the country ended March with 1.93 million subscribers, representing a population penetration level of 126%. Gabon is more prosperous than most nearby countries, with a per capita income of four times the average for Sub-Saharan Africa. This is in large part due to offshore oil production.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has withdrawn its offer for telcos to apply for radio frequency spectrum licences in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands. In May the regulator released a set of guidelines regarding how it intends to grant spectrum licences in cases where there are competing applications, or when insufficient spectrum is available to accommodate demand. The deadline was initially set for 30 June, and later extended to 30 July.

Although no applications have actually been lodged to date, ICASA spokesperson Macia Socikwa explained that the regulator had been ‘inundated with correspondence from stakeholders seeking clarity on the finer details of the licensing processes’ since the publication of the final High Demand Spectrum Licence Regulations. Although the licences will be withdrawn and revised to take into account certain technological considerations, the existing regulations will be implemented as is.

See Press Release 
Source: Balancingact-africa

Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica has been confirmed as the highest bidder in the Mexican government’s auctions for spectrum in the 1900MHz spectrum band, according to Bloomberg. Telefonica, Grupo Iusacell and a joint venture between NII Holdings and local media giant Grupo Televisa submitted the highest bids in the sale, the Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Cofetel) revealed, and the regulator now has 30 days to review the auction and officially declare the winners.

See Press Release
Source: telegeography

Ireland is launching a consultation process to determine appropriate price control of  Wholesale Broadband Access in order to prevent abusive conduct from dominant players.

See Press Release
Source: ComReg

EU regulators are taking a hard look at allegations of anti-competitive behaviour in Internet search services amid concerns that dominant players may be abusing their position, Europe's antitrust chief said on Wednesday EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia was making his first comments since three online firms complained to the European Commission about Google, the world's leading search engine, in February. Google said in February that British price comparison site Foundem and French legal search engine ejustice.fr had alleged that its search algorithm demoted their sites in Web search results because they were rivals of Google. It said Microsoft-owned service Ciao from Bing had complained about Google's standard terms and conditions. Google denied it had done anything wrong.

See Press Release
Source: Information policy

Thai newspaper The Nation reports that a senate committee has asked the country’s regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to increase the starting bid price for the 3G licences due to be auctioned later in the year. Three next generation concessions will be on offer in September, and the committee has asked for the starting bid price to be THB30 billion (USD913 million) rather than the THB12.8 billion specified by the watchdog. NTC commissioner Natee Sukonrat said the regulator is unlikely to change the reserve again; the price has already gone up once from the THB10 billion given in the original draft. All three licences will be valid for 15 years and will be for 15MHz of spectrum. The licensees will have to reach at least 50% population coverage within two years, although if they achieve 80% within that time they will be allowed to defer the final instalment payment by a year.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography

New Zealand's Commerce Commission has reached a NZ$1.6 million (US$1.14 million) settlement with Telecom New Zealand following an investigation into complaints alleging that Telecom Wholesale's 'loyalty offers' breached Telecom's Separation Undertakings. The loyalty offers related to Telecom Wholesale's regulated wholesale broadband service, used by competing service providers to provide broadband service to retail customers. Telecom offered substantial discounts in return for a commitment for the service providers to maintain current and future customers on Telecom Wholesale's service rather than that of a competitor.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

A consultation on key questions arising from the issue of net neutrality has been launched by the European Commission. It covers such issues as whether internet providers should be allowed to adopt certain traffic management practices, prioritising one kind of internet traffic over another, whether such traffic management practices may create problems and have unfair effects for users, whether the level of competition between different internet service providers and the transparency requirements of the new telecom framework may be sufficient to avoid potential problems by allowing consumers' choice and whether the EU needs to act further to ensure fairness in the internet market, or whether industry should take the lead. European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, announced in April 2010 her intention to launch this consultation in order to take forward Europe's net neutrality debate. The consultation will feed into a Commission report on net neutrality, which should be presented by the end of this year. All interested parties – service and content providers, consumers, businesses and researchers – are invited to respond to the consultation by 30 September 2010. An open and neutral internet underpins many of the targets set out in the Digital Agenda for Europe.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

Kenyan mobile operator Zain Kenya has been awarded a 3G licence by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) for a fee of KES815 million (USD10 million). The CCK cut the price from USD25 million earlier this month in order to boost competition. Zain and rival cellco Orange had sought the reduction for some time.
CCK managing director Charles Njoroge said that the purchase of the 3G concession by Zain would ‘increase competition in the telephony industry, and ultimately benefit the consumers’. Back in 2007 Vodafone associate and Kenya’s largest wireless operator by subscribers Safaricom paid USD25 million for the country’s first 3G licence. Safaricom is now planning to seek a partial refund in the wake of the CCK’s decision.

See Press Release
Source: Balancing Act

For SindiTelebrasil, incentives and regulation would be sufficient to meet the National Broadband Plan (PNBL).

The director of SindiTelebrasil, Eduardo Levy, said that the documents so far published by the government about the National Broadband are vague and do not give legal certainty that no change of rules. It also says that what is posted adds little in relation to targets and conditions for the private sector can contribute to the plan.

See Press Release 
Source SindiTelebrasil, National Union of Telephone Companies and Service Cellular Mobile and Personal

The 400 MHz Road Show is a series of regulatory tune-ups designed to inform licensees and stakeholders of changes to the 403-520 MHz band as outlined in The Way Ahead – Decisions and implementation options for the 400 MHz band. The Road Show provides an opportunity for the ACMA to engage with those affected by the review of the 400 MHz and for stakeholders to speak with ACMA staff regarding the new arrangements.

See Press Release
Source: ACMA Australian Communications and Media Authority

Africa’s regulators are increasingly moving to assert their role as the protector of consumer interests in the ICT space. This week the Commissioner responsible for Consumer Affairs told a meeting held by the Liberian Consumers Action Network that it had established a consumer help desk. But if the landscape for ICT consumers is getting more complicated then the responsibilities of companies within the sector is also becoming more demanding.

See Press Release
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

Iraq's government has approved plans to offer a fourth mobile operators license, local news media has reported. Hiam Al Yasiri, an adviser to Iraq's communications minister, said that 15 firms had expressed interest in the license since it was first proposed last year.
Full details of the tender are still to be announced, although the advisor said that a bidder will own 65% of the company, with the remainder held by the government as part of the deal and that the license would call for full nationwide coverage.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

Telecoms operators which opposed to newly gazetted regulations on competition, got a temporary reprieve after the government promised to open fresh talks with the industry for a possible review of the contentious segments. Information minister, Mr Samuel Poghisio, said the review would aim at fine-tuning certain aspects of the regulations for clarity and to address the feeling among certain operators that they were being unfairly targeted.

See Press Release
Source: Balancingact-Africa

FICORA's investigations show that the local loop charges Elisa Oyj charges from other telecom operators are not cost-oriented as required by the Communications Market Act, but the prices are unreasonably high. The authority has scrutinized the lawfulness of the pricing of Elisa's monthly fees and connection charges for local loops on behalf of TeliaSonera Oyj's request for action.

In today's decision, FICORA has set maximum prices to be charged by Elisa for leasing out a part of a local loop. Within three months, Elisa must reduce its pricing to a level based on actual costs and deliver new price tariffs and cost calculations to FICORA. According to FICORA's calculations, the unreasonability of pricing is significant. For example, the monthly price of a local loop must be reduced by more than 20 per cent.

See press release
Source: FICORA

Court proceedings against Australia’s fixed line incumbent Telstra commence today after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) initiated legal action following claims that the telco had deliberately delayed the rollout of rivals’ ADSL networks, iTWire reports. The Federal Court in Melbourne will hear the case, which alleges that Telstra falsely claimed that there was no room in local exchanges for other operators’ equipment, with existing legislation allowing for fines of up to AUD10 million (USD9.23 million) for every violation of the rules; the case reportedly contains allegations of 30 separate occasions on which access was blocked.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography 

As India's 3G license auction entered its second week, the bidding finished Monday evening with a single license to cover the whole country costing Rs. 60.67 billion (US$1.36 billion). There have now been 46 rounds of bidding over eight days. Demand for the licenses seemed to slow slightly after a surge at the end of last week, with most circles showing almost as many bids as there were available licenses. However, activity level still hovers around the 80% mark with most of the focus on the Metro and A Circles. Delhi retained its position as the most desired circle, with bids ending at Rs 6.91 billion, and Mumbai coming second at Rs 6.36 billion per license.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

The European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO) welcomes the importance given to high-speed broadband networks and services in the EU 2020 Strategy as key drivers of growth, innovation and welfare. Ensuring the best conditions for their deployment and take up will therefore be one of the key priorities for ETNO during the years to come.

See Press Release
Source: ETNO

On 16 March 2010 the Lithuanian telecoms authority RRT informed the European Commission that it was withdrawing its proposed measure on network infrastructure access markets. These access services are used by alternative operators to connect their customers to telecoms services like telephone and internet. The Commission had earlier this month raised serious doubts about the compatibility of the proposed regulation with the principles of EU competition law and EU's telecoms rules and had launched a two month investigation. RRT has now indicated to the Commission that it intends to revise its findings and notify the revised measure to the Commission.

Source: Europa - Information Society
See Press Release 

The European Commission has ruled that Polish telecom regulator Urz¹d Komunikacji Elektronicznej (UKE) must withdraw its plans to regulate the markets for internet traffic exchange services in Poland. Internet service providers use these data traffic exchange services to connect their customers to the Internet. After a two-month investigation, the Commission has decided that UKE has failed to show that competitive conditions in Poland require the regulation of these markets, which are not regulated elsewhere in the EU. Indeed, internet service providers are able to connect to the Internet not only by using direct interconnection services provided by the Polish incumbent Telekomunikacja Polska "TP" but also by indirect interconnection via other operators.

See Press Release

Source: Europa

The European Commission has ruled that Polish telecom regulator Urz¹d Komunikacji Elektronicznej (UKE) must withdraw its plans to regulate the markets for internet traffic exchange services in Poland. Internet service providers use these data traffic exchange services to connect their customers to the Internet. After a two-month investigation, the Commission has decided that UKE has failed to show that competitive conditions in Poland require the regulation of these markets, which are not regulated elsewhere in the EU. Indeed, internet service providers are able to connect to the Internet not only by using direct interconnection services provided by the Polish incumbent Telekomunikacja Polska "TP" but also by indirect interconnection via other operators.

See Press Release

Source: Europa

Mexico's MVS Comunicaciones has lost its WiMAX operating license after the regulator chose not to renew it. The regulator argued that the company had not deployed a network as planned, although MVS Comunicaciones claimed that regulatory uncertainty had imperiled investment plans. However, the company was reported late last year to have secured an agreement with US based Clearwire to deploy a WiMAX network covering 23 Mexican cities. The roll out was expected to start in the second half of this year, with a launch some time in the fourth-quarter.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

La Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes acelera las medidas para promover una política de competencia, convergencia y cobertura en el sector telecomunicaciones. Así, trabaja simultáneamente en distintos frentes para asegurar la rectoría del Estado sobre el espectro radioeléctrico garantizando el uso eficiente del mismo, otorgar seguridad jurídica a los operadores y abatir el rezago existente en materia de concesiones y prórrogas.
- Acelera las medidas para promover una política de competencia, convergencia y cobertura en el sector telecomunicaciones
- Niega la prórroga de dos concesiones de TV restringida en los canales 46 y 52 en la ciudad de México
- Determina sancionar a TV Azteca y Televisora del Valle de México por la transmisión de un servicio de telecomunicaciones que no cuenta con concesión
- Niega la prórroga de nueve concesiones en la banda de 2.5 a 2.7 GHz.

See Press Release
Source: Mexico - Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes  

Heated discussions have been aroused by the recent widespread media coverage of the “Fair Usage Policies” (hereinafter referred to as “Policies”) on the unlimited usage of mobile broadband services implemented by mobile network operators.

See Press Release
Source: OFTA Office of the Telecommunications Authority

Mintic y CRC dan a conocer decisiones regulatorias de gran impacto para los usuarios El Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones y la Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones a través del Ministro (E) de TIC, Daniel Medina Velandia, y del Director ejecutivo de la CRC, Cristhian Lizcano Ortiz, dan a conocer decisiones regulatorias adoptadas por el organismo regulador, referentes a: 1.Aumento de velocidad de acceso a Internet considerada como de Banda Ancha 2.Implementación de Portabilidad Numérica de Telefonía Móvil en Colombia y 3.Reducción de Cargos de Interconexión a Redes Móviles

See Press Release

Source: Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones

El mercado de la banda ancha mantuvo en diciembre la tendencia alcista de los últimos meses (agosto-noviembre) y sumó 63.722 nuevas líneas, tras un periodo (febrero-julio) de crecimiento más moderado. De esta forma, a finales de año, España superó los 9,7 millones de líneas de banda ancha, un 7,6% más que a cierre de 2008 y alcanzó una penetración de 21,1 líneas cada 100 habitantes, según los últimos datos de la CMT correspondientes a la nota mensual de diciembre.

See Press Release

Source: CMT Comision del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones

OFTA has published a decision following an investigation into Alleged Misleading or Deceptive Newspaper Advertisements by SmarTone. The Telecommunications Authority (the “Authority”) received an industry complaint alleging that certain newspaper advertisements of SmarTone promoting its mobile service packages were in contravention of section 7M of the Telecommunications Ordinance1 (the “Ordinance”). The Authority’s conclusion is  that this was a substantive breach of section 7M, and having regard to the maximum applicable penalty of $1,000,000, the appropriate starting point for determining the level of financial penalty is $220,000.  While the breach is serious, in mitigation it is noted that the Authority has not received any section 7M related consumer complaints concerning the Advertisements. Further, SmarTone has been cooperative with OFTA throughout the investigation. The Authority has not been able to establish that there are any aggravating factors which offset the mitigating factors which have been taken into account. Accordingly, the Authority is of the opinion that in this case of a third financial penalty for SmarTone, the penalty which is proportionate and reasonable in relation to the conduct concerned is $180,000.

See Press Release and PDF document (attached)
Source : OFTA

T110_08.pdf (1,69 MB)

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Federal Communications Commission Consumer Bureau Chief Joel Gurin and Wireless Bureau Chief Ruth Milkman sent letters to AT&T, Google, Sprint Nextel, TMobile, and Verizon Wireless to gather facts and data on the consumer experience with wireless early termination fees. This inquiry follows last week’s launch of the FCC’s Consumer Task Force, which was established to promote cross-agency collaboration on the Commission’s consumer agenda.

See Press Release 

Source: FCC Federal Communications Commission

The European Commission has sent a letter to the German telecoms regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), calling on it to make the provision of fixed subscriber lines more competitive. Today the market is still dominated by the incumbent operator, Deutsche Telekom (DT). While Deutsche Telekom's offer means that other operators can sell-on to consumers the use of land lines that they have leased from the incumbent, Deutsche Telekom charges these operators the same price as it does its own consumers. This makes it harder for alternative operators to offer consumers a competitive deal. The Commission wants the German regulator to oblige DT to make its land lines available to other telecoms operators. It also asks BNetzA to supervise wholesale prices for alternative operators providing competing services using Deutsche Telekom's network.

 

See Press Release

Source: Europa

 

Europe's telecoms rules aim to progressively reduce sector specific regulation as competition develops in the market. The roll-out of next generation access networks which brings high speed broadband services to consumers poses new challenges for regulators to prevent new market monopolies. The Commission will issue a Recommendation on the regulation of next generation access networks in spring 2010 to ensure a consistent approach for regulating these new services.

See Press Release

Source: Europa

The European Commission has given its green light to the amended definition of the wholesale broadband access market (WBA) notified by the Austrian regulator RTR (Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs GmbH). On 5 October 2009, the Commission had expressed serious doubts about the market definition as originally notified by RTR on 3 September 2009. RTR has now provided sufficient evidence that mobile broadband connections are substitutes to fixed line broadband connections for Austrian residential customers. RTR has also modified its wholesale market definition and now excludes all bitstream access for residential customers from regulation. Nevertheless, the Commission invites RTR to closely monitor market developments and to change the market definition if its forecasts on the continued substitutability of fixed and mobile broadband products and next generation access network (NGA) roll-out prove to be incorrect.

See Press Release

Source: Europa

 

The Latvian regulator SPRK (Sabiedrisko Pakalpojumu Regulešanas Komisija) proposes to oblige the provision of call-by-call selection, pre-selection and a price control on the incumbent operator Lattelecom because it has significant market power (SMP) in the retail access markets. SPRK does not, however, want to impose the provision of wholesale line rental (WLR).

See Press Release
Source: Europe's Information Society

The Commerce Commission has released its report on telecommunications markets in New Zealand covering the first six months of 2009. The report also provides some more recent information about mobile prices in New Zealand following the launch of the 2degrees network in August.

Telecommunications Commissioner Dr Ross Patterson said the report shows there has been continued investment in telecommunications infrastructure in the first half of 2009 with the construction of new or extended mobile networks by Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees.

See Report
Source: New Zealand - Commerce Commission

Spanish operators have blocked some three million prepay SIM cards from making or receiving phone calls pending their owners registering their ownership details. Users of the unregistered SIMs will get an automatic message played when trying to make a phone call instructing them to visit a local retailer.

The operators were due to completely cut off the phones, but a last minute agreement by Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, gives the SIM card owners up to six months to register their ownership before the lines go dead - and losing any prepay credit they may contain.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

Nigerian operator, Globacom has obtained an operating licence in Cote d'Ivoire. The approval was conveyed to Globacom by the Agence des Telecommunications de Cote d'Ivoire, the telecommunications regulatory authorities of the Francophone country.

The licence will enable Globacom take advantage of its gigantic trans-Atlantic submarine cable, Glo 1, which will branch off to Cote d'Ivoire.  With it, Glo will provide international carrier services for telecoms operators in Cote d'Ivoire, aggregate and carry voice and data traffic into and out of the country. Globacom is in Nigeria and Benin Republic as well as Ghana where it is geared to commercially launch its operations very soon. The telecoms giant is also in the process of securing more licences across the continent.

See Press Release
Source: Balancingact Africa

Bajo el marco de la Ley del Consumidor, la Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones y el Sernac requerirán a la operadora móvil, Claro, un proceso de descuentos que incluya, sin diferencias, a todos sus clientes afectados por el corte de servicio ocurrido entre el martes y miércoles de esta semana.

"No pueden haber clientes de primera y segunda categoría. Todos los usuarios tienen los mismos derechos, independiente de su modalidad de pago", sostuvo el Subsecretario de Telecomunicaciones, Pablo Bello.

Ver artículo
Fuente: Ministerio de Transporte y Telecomunicaciones - Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones

Despite the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority's (NTRA) offer of two triple-play licences, operators will not be able to provide voice services without giving Telecom Egypt access to their network. Egypt’s monopoly fixed line provider, Telecom Egypt, has claimed that it will remain the country’s sole fixed line voice provider.

See More
Source Reuters

The Georgian telecoms regulator, the National Communications Commission has cancelled a planned auction of additional radio spectrum in the GSM1800 and UMTS bands. The regulator said that no bidders had submitted applications by the deadline of 5th October.

The Auction was declared failed at the Session held today by the Georgian National Communications Commission.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

The European Commission today endorsed the Irish regulator's (ComReg) proposal to lower the prices charged by Eircom, the incumbent telecoms operator, to its competitors for granting access to its network. From now on, Eircom will no longer charge competitors that use its lines for costs on lines they do not use. The proposed measures complement previous important steps towards facilitating investment in infrastructure and enhancing competition on the Irish broadband market.

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Source Europe's Information Society

Several operators in the United States of America have raised concerns on the insufficiency of spectrum to meet future demands, following a recent explosion in mobile data traffic. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comment on whether more spectrum is needed for wireless broadband services as it continues to develop the national broadband plan, and has thus launched a consultation in this regard.

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Source TeleGeography

Complaints by an alternate operator in Belgium lead to an investigation that has now resulted in the Belgian Competition Council (BCC) advising the regulator that the incumbent, Belgacom has in fact abused its dominant position in the country’s fixed line sector.

See More
Source TeleGeography

In efforts to boost competition in the UK telecommunication sector, Ofcom has removed one of the last remaining regulations in the retail fixed-line market; a move that was welcomed by the incumbent. This enables BT for the first time to offer discounted fixed-line calls as part of its bundles, which also include fixed broadband and its BT Vision IPTV service.

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Source Total Telecom

The Australian government plans to split Telstra into a wholesale and retail unit. The reforms seek to streamline and simplify the competition regime and to remove regulatory red-tape. The government seeks to structurally separate Telstra on a voluntary and cooperative basis but will impose a strong functional separation framework on the carrier if it chooses not to cooperate.

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Source Telecompaper

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) seem to be the natural next step in service competition, particularly in those markets that are highly competitive. Although they seem to have taken root in South Africa, they are much less popular in other African countries. With it's ability to add business at minimum cost, Brussels based Effortel is looking at Africa for new MVNO growth.

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Source Balancing Act

The European Commission has underlined the importance of addressing competition problems in the mobile call termination markets by applying an effective price control mechanism. While noting Slovenian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (APEK)'s views on the appropriate gradual reduction of regulated MTRs, it also notes that allowing the largest mobile operator to charge significantly above its own reported costs could give it an unfair competitive advantage over smaller operators. The Commission called on APEK to reconsider this gradual reduction of MTRs so that efficient termination rates could be applied as soon as possible. It also called on APEK to review its underlying cost model sooner than envisaged, and Mobitel's costing methodology may prove to be a useful reference point in this context.

See Press Release
Source: Europe's Information Society

Hungary's competition authority GVH  rejected a proposal from Magyar Telekom (MTel) on acquisition of ViDaNet. MTel acquired 100% of voting rights in ViDaNet and submitted a request for approval to the GVH. ViDaNet is a cable TV, internet and voice communications provider. The watchdog concluded the acquisition would give MTel a virtual monopoly on the landline telephone and cable TV markets.

See Update

Source: Telegeography

Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden have the lowest prices for mobile phone calls among OECD countries, according to the latest OECD Communications Outlook. The highest were found in Canada, Spain and the United States.

Comparing prices on a medium-use basis for a package of 780 voice calls, 600 short texts (SMS), and eight multimedia (MMS) messages, the survey found monthly prices ranged from 11 to 53 US dollars across countries as of August 2008.

See Press Release
Source: OECD

The Australian Communications and Media Authority today announced a substantial reduction in charges for number applications by telecommunications carriage service providers. The lower charges reflect a considerable reduction in the time and effort to process these applications, following enhancements to the ACMA’s online system for managing numbers.

‘The reduction in charges for number applications is one outcome of an ongoing transformation process the ACMA is undertaking, which involves overhauling many of its legacy IT systems. This particular enhancement has significantly reduced the time required to complete and process applications for numbers,’ said Chris Chapman, Chairman of the ACMA.

See Press Release
Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority - ACMA

Los operadores de cable y los operadores alternativos han obtenido el 82,86% de la ganancia neta de líneas de banda ancha entre marzo y mayo de 2009, según la última nota mensual publicada por la Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (CMT). Los operadores de cable se han hecho con el 16,21% de las líneas y el resto de operadores alternativos, con el 66,65%. Telefónica, por su parte, ha captado el 17,14% restante de las líneas.
 
Durante el mes de mayo de 2009 se han dado de alta 46.397 líneas de banda ancha, con lo que el total ya alcanza los 9,34 millones, un 8,7% más que el año anterior. La presión competitiva que están ejerciendo los operadores alternativos en banda ancha se ha dejado notar también en los datos de portabilidad fija, que obtuvieron en mayo su segundo mejor registro en 12 meses, con 126.836 números portados, un 28% más que en mayo de 2008.
 
See Press Release
Source: Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (CMT)

A dos meses de haberse puesto en marcha el Registro Nacional de Usuarios de Telefonía Móvil (RENAUT), casi 9 millones de números telefónicos han sido registrados en todo el país. Según los cifras que arroja el RENAUT, durante el período comprendido entre el 10 de abril y el 10 de junio, 8 millones 729 mil 199 usuarios de telefonía móvil han registrado exitosamente su número telefónico en la base de datos que exprofeso ha diseñado la Secretaría de Gobernación (SEGOB).

Los usuarios de telefonía móvil en el país envían un mensaje de texto al 2877 con la palabra “Alta” (punto) seguida del nombre (punto), apellido (punto), así como su fecha de nacimiento, y unos segundos más tarde reciben en su aparato telefónico la confirmación de que su número ha quedado registrado en la base de datos.

See Press Release
Source: COFETEL - Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones

Iraq's government has approved plans to tender two additional mobile licenses, with one of them reserved for 3G services. The country already has three mobile networks, although there have been complaints from the regulator about poor coverage and service reliability.

"Now we are waiting to start the procedure (for tendering), which we expect to be soon," Iraq's Finance Minister Bayan Jabor told Reuters.

It has been previously reported that Turkcell and Etisalat would be interested in bidding for a mobile license in the country.

Figures from the Mobile World shows that the country ended Q1 '09 with 16.8 million mobile phone users, which represents a population penetration level of 58%.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

The French telecoms regulator, Arcep is expected to make another attempt at offering a fourth 3G license by the end of this month. The President of Arcep told a press conference that the "tender offer will almost certainly be launched by the end of July," without expanding on the details.

French Internet Service Proider, Iliad is the only company to have formally tabled its intention to bid for the license, although Numericable and Virgin Mobile France are mulling a joint bid. A previous bid for the license by Iliad was rejected by the regulator in October 2007.

According to figures from the Mobile World analysts, the three incumbent operators market share at the end of Q1 '09 was: Orange (47%), SFR (36%) and Bouygues Télécom (17%)

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

A consortium made up of France Telecom and Divona Telecom has been provisionally awarded the third mobile license in the North African country of Tunisia. The license covers both GSM and 3G services, and includes a landline service.

A statement from the regulator warned that the award is temporary pending the completion of the provisions included in the procedures of the international call for tender. The final decision should be confirmed next week.

There are currently two mobile network operators in the country - the state controlled Tunisie Telcom which is the sole landline operator, and Tunisiana, which just operates a mobile phone network. It is not immediately clear if Tunisiana will be offered a landline license, otherwise it would be commercially at a disadvantage to the other two operators.

See Press Release
Source: cellular-news

The European Commission has cleared, by a letter published today, the proposal of the French telecoms regulator ARCEP to maintain regulatory obligations on the incumbent TV transmission services operator TDF. The regulation will apply to those TDF masts and sites that are impossible or very difficult to replicate. Alternative transmission service providers need to have access to these sites under adequate conditions to provide competing transmission services to digital television broadcasters and multiplex operators. At the same time, however, the Commission invites ARCEP to monitor the extent to which TDF's sites can be replicated and the competitive developments on the market so as to ensure that the regulatory obligations to be imposed on TDF remain justified and proportionate.

See Press release
Source: Europa

Malawi's Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) and the local arm of Zain have clashed over plans to lower phone tariffs in the country. The regulator wants to open the market up to more networks, while Zain blames high taxes and says increased subscribers would lead to lower tariffs.

"We believe more players would increase competition on the market and this will force the companies to reduce their tariffs for them to remain competitive. We are sure that consumers would be the ultimate beneficiaries from the increased numbers of players on the market," Macra Acting Director General Mike Kumtiya told the Daily Times newspaper.

The country currently has two mobile networks, Zain and former incumbent, (Telekom Networks Malawi) TNM - while a two more networks have been licensed. Globally Advanced Integrated Networks (Gain) expects to launch its network within the next couple of months, while G-Mobile is still waiting to announce a launch date.

See Press Release
Source: Cellular-news

Abril confirmó el patrón cada vez más competitivo que ya mostraron en meses anteriores los mercados de banda ancha y de la telefonía móvil. Del total de ganancias netas de líneas de banda ancha en los últimos tres meses (febrero-abril), más del 66% fueron captadas por los operadores alternativos. Por su parte, los nuevos entrantes en telefonía móvil, Yoigo (el cuarto operador de red) y el conjunto de los operadores móviles virtuales (OMV) se hicieron con el 56,4% de las altas netas en ese periodo, según las cifras de la última nota mensual de la Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones.
 
See Press Release
Source: CMT - Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) announced today (10 June) that three mobile network operators have successfully bid for a total of 9.6 MHz of radio spectrum in the 1800 MHz frequency band at a total of upfront spectrum utilization fee of HK$ 46.1 million.

"The demand for public mobile telecommunications services has been growing continuously. The number of mobile users has reached 11.58 million by March 2009, representing a penetration rate of 165%. The assignment of the radio spectrum through the auction enables the successful mobile network operators to expand their network capacity to meet the increasing demand," a spokesperson of OFTA said.

See Press Release
Source: OFTA Office of the Telecommunications Authority

The Philippines’ dominant telecoms company Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) yesterday launched a nationwide service offering unlimited calls to all areas, but the move was greeted coolly by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) which said such promotions break local telecoms rules and as such, must be stopped.

According to a report from online journal Business World, the telco’s ‘Call All’ offer promises unlimited calls all over the Philippines for an additional PHP250 (USD5.27) on the user’s landline phone bill. Anyone taking the add-on will be given a PLDT ‘Landline Plus’ subscriber identification module (SIM) for a fixed-wireless connection. ‘We are targeting over 1.3 million PLDT retail landline subscribers and we are also aiming to capture at least 200,000 additional applications each month,’ PLDT retail voice acquisition head Patrick S Tang told reporters.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

There seems to be no end to the crisis generated by the 2.3GHz licensing round. While the Ministry of Information and Communications is standing by the cancellation of the process citing lack of transparency, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) remains adamant, warning of far reaching consequences if the Ministry maintains its stand.

While the dust has yet to settle, the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) charged with carrying out bulk trans-sectoral allocation of spectrum to authorised statutory bodies has officially released the 2.3GHz frequency spectrum to the NCC to pave the way for the commencement of a new licensing process.

See Press Release
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

It’s good news for locals making international calls as Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) has announced a discount rate of up to 50%.

International calls made from landlines in Swaziland to cellphones either to South Africa, or any other country in the world will also be discounted same as international calls made from one landline to another.

The discount rates, which will range from 35% to 50% will come into effect from the 1st of July.

See Press Release
Source: BalancingAct-Africa

The European Commission has set out clear guidance for EU telecoms regulators on the cost-based method to be used when calculating termination rates - the wholesale fees charged by operators to connect the call from another operator's network which are part of everyone's phone bill. The guidance is in the form of a "Recommendation" that national regulators are obliged to take "the utmost account" of. The Recommendation indicates specifically that termination rates at national level should be based only on the real costs that an efficient operator incurs to establish the connection. Eliminating price distortions between phone operators across the EU will lower consumer prices for voice calls within and between Member States, saving business and household customers at least EUR 2 billion in 2009-2012, and help investment and innovation in the entire telecoms sector. Mobile termination rates varied widely in the EU in 2008 from 2.00 euro cents per minute (in Cyprus) to 15 euro cents per minute (in Bulgaria). Mobile termination rates (on average 8.55 euro cents per minute) are also typically 10 times higher than fixed termination rates (on average ranging from 0.57 to 1.13 euro cents per minute). Higher mobile termination rates make it harder for fixed and small mobile operators to compete with large mobile operators. These divergences, and differing regulatory approaches, undermine the Single Market and Europe's competitiveness.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

The Commerce Commission has finalised its first review of backhaul services. Backhaul is the final link connecting competitors’ networks to Telecom's local loop, so those competitors can provide services such as landlines and broadband to consumers.

The review looked at a number of backhaul routes and examined whether there was actual or potential competition to Telecom on those routes. Where the Commission finds that there is actual or potential competition on a backhaul route, it is not subject to regulation. By contrast, routes that the Commission finds not to be competitive are regulated.

See Press Release
Source: New Zealand - Commerce Commission

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) published for the first time the statistics of local mobile data usage, which sees a surge to 147 Terabytes as of January 2009, or an average amount of 44 Mbytes per 2.5G/3G mobile user for that particular month. This represents 4 times and 14 times the mobile data usage over the same period in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

"We are truly appreciative of the investment that the mobile network operators have been putting in our infrastructures such that mobile services of higher speed and better quality are continually provided to the community. The strong growth of mobile data usage is also attributable to the offer of competitive service packages by mobile network operators and the increasing popularity of a variety of smart phones available in the market," a spokesperson of OFTA said..

See Press Release
Source: Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking industry comment on draft Temporary Community Broadcasting Licence Guidelines 2009 (the draft guidelines).

‘The intent of the draft guidelines is to provide ACMA with a more efficient, transparent and responsive process for allocating and varying temporary community broadcasting licences,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman.

Once finalised, the draft guidelines will replace the current Guide to the Allocation of Temporary Community Broadcasting Licences (Radio) published in December 2007 (the current guidelines).

See Press Release
Source: ACMA - Australian Communications and Media Authority

Chilean telecoms regulator Subtel has published details of a tender for 3G licences to be held in July. ‘This is an industry that has enjoyed double-digit growth since 2006. This contest raises the possibility of increased competition that will directly benefit consumers,’ said Minister of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT), Rene Cortazar. Under the tender three blocks of 30MHz in the 1700MHz and 2100MHz frequency band will be allocated; winners will be those which promise the widest population coverage in the shortest amount of time.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

Burundi plans to privatise its main state-owned telecoms company Onatel this year to make it more competitive, government officials. Onatel runs a landline network, GSM and Internet services. It launched its mobile phone service in 2004.

"The government's wish is that the entire process of privatising the company ends in December 2009," Transport and Telecommunications Minister Philippe Njoni told reporters.

He said the aim was to make Onatel more competitive against other operators within Burundi and across east Africa. "The best way to achieve this ambitious goal is to give more space to private investors in the company," he said, adding the authorities had yet to decide how much of the firm to offload.

See Press Release
Source: Balancingact-africa

Today, the European Commission has opened an infringement case against Italy because several aspects of the PSI Directive have either been incorrectly transposed into Italian law, or have not been transposed at all. One concern is the exclusion of cadastral and mortgage data which includes land register information with details on the ownership, tenure, precise location and boundaries of each parcel of land, as well as the use of real estate as collateral to secure loans. Other missing provisions in Italian law include the scope and definition of re-use, procedural requirements for processing requests for re-use, specific conditions of re-use including available formats and charging, and non-discrimination.

See Press Release

Source: Europa

The Review of BT Network Charge Controls proposes a range of new controls for some wholesale charges paid by other Communication Providers for use of BT’s network. Network Charge Controls protect BT’s wholesale customers from excessive pricing for these services, and provide BT with incentives for efficiency and cost reduction in their provision. Ofcom is proposing new network charge controls for the next four years. The consultation can be found here. 
 
The Review of the Fixed Narrowband Services Retail Markets relates to telephone lines and voice calls made by consumers and businesses. Ofcom proposes to deregulate BT’s retail products  in those markets where Ofcom has found healthy competition. This competition is a result of Ofcom opening up the market in 2005 with the creation of Openreach and improved wholesale products like Local Loop Unbundling and Wholesale Line Rental. Today’s proposals seek to further competition in the voice market. For the first time BT will be able to offer telephone lines and calls as part of a bundle of other services (such as broadband or Pay-TV) like other communications providers do at the moment. The consultation can be found here. 

In the Review of the Fixed Narrowband Services Wholesale Markets, Ofcom proposes to deregulate certain specific BT wholesale products where Ofcom considers the market is now competitive. Ofcom proposes to keep regulation in other wholesale areas where it supports healthy competition in the retail market. The consultation can be found here.

Source: OFCOM
 

The European Commission has endorsed, in a letter published today, the Danish telecoms regulator's (NITA) proposal to oblige the largest cable operator in Denmark to open wholesale access to its cable broadband network to competitors. The Commission recognised that Denmark is in a unique situation because the Danish incumbent telecoms operator, TDC, controls both the telecoms network and large parts of the cable network. Extending obligations already existing for the telecoms network to TDC's cable network should help to maintain the ability of alternative operators to compete effectively with TDC in the broadband market by enabling them to access high bandwidth wholesale products, even if such products are not available over the telecoms network.

See press release
Source: Europa

La Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones de España (CMT) ha resuelto la cancelación de determinadas personas físicas y jurídicas en el Registro de Operadores de redes y servicios de comunicaciones electrónicas.

See related documents
Source: Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (CMT)

The European Commission, taking into account the specific situation of the Dutch market, cleared, in a letter published today, the Dutch telecoms regulator's proposal to impose regulatory obligations on the four largest cable operators in the Netherlands, Ziggo, UPC, Delta and CAIW. These obligations will allow alternative providers of radio and TV ('RTV') signals to compete more effectively with the broadcasting offers over cable. In addition, Ziggo and UPC will have to allow other market parties to sell the formers' analogue radio and TV package, allowing the latter to service consumers. At the same time, the Commission is inviting OPTA to avoid prolonging analogue transmission services as this could lead to inefficient investments and limit the development of innovative digital services and infrastructures. OPTA should implement swiftly and effectively the detailed terms and conditions of the remedies required in order to generate a market structure which is more prone to competitive dynamics.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has assessed 44 carriage service providers and issued formal directions to two providers for non-compliance with the financial hardship provisions of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code).

Carriage service providers must comply with the financial hardship provisions of the Communications Alliance’s TCP Code when dealing with customers who are experiencing financial difficulties. The assessment was undertaken in response to a request from ACMA’s Consumer Consultative Forum.

The vast majority of providers were found to comply. However, ACMA was not satisfied that two of the providers had formalised financial hardship policies available to their customers on request. Under ACMA’s formal directions, both providers were expected to formalise financial hardship policies by 10 February 2009 or risk Federal Court action.

See Press Release
Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) has issued a proposed licensing framework document for Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) services on February 9th, 2009 and is seeking comments from interested parties. VSAT is a wireless, satellite-based system that can support organizations, businesses and other groups, with dispersed offices and remote sites, to have internal telecommunications (voice and data) connectivity. It is commonly used by large organizations with multiple or remote locations, such as banks, retail stores and oil and gas companies. Government entities, such as foreign ministries, also frequently utilize VSAT services.

See Press Release
Source: ict Qatar

The European Commission has informed the Finnish telecoms regulator, Viestintävirasto or FICORA (Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority), of its serious doubts over the compatibility with EU law of its draft regulatory measures on the Finnish wholesale broadband access market. Finland's regulator has not provided enough evidence to justify the deregulation of access to the incumbent operators' broadband networks it proposes, namely that certain geographic markets ready for deregulation show different competitive conditions from the rest of the country. The Commission now has until 5 March 2009 to decide whether the regulator can adopt its proposed measures. The regulator may not adopt the measures until the Commission approves them.

See Press release
Source: Europa

The Telecommunications Authority (“TA”) first issued a Statement on “Interconnection and Related Competition Issues Statement No. 7 –
‘Carrier-to-Carrier Charging Principles’” (“Statement No. 7”)1 on 10 June 1995 to provide guidance on carrier-to-carrier charging principles for interconnection between fixed telecommunications network services (“FTNS”) operators that the TA will rely on in the initial phases of competition in the local FTNS market in making a determination under section 36A of the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106) (“the Ordinance”).  The Statement No. 7 was subsequently revised on 18 November 1997 (“Statement No. 7 (First Revision)”) and on 18 March 2002 (“Statement No. 7 (Second Revision)”) to reflect the developing competitive environment in Hong Kong and to address the latest interconnection issues that had arisen since the introduction of competition in the local FTNS market in 1995.  This consultation paper seeks views and comments on the TA’s proposal of updating the Statement No. 7 (Second Revision) as a consequence of the developments in the regulatory environment for local fixed telecommunications services that have taken place since March 2002.
See document
Source: OFTA

20090116.pdf (191,25 KB)

Egyptian telecom giant Orascom Telecom’s new subsidiary Telecel Globe has bought Namibian mobile operator Cell One in a $59 million cash deal last Wednesday. Telecel Globe has bought Cell One as part of its strategy of targeting licences and mobile operators in small and medium-sized developing countries with high growth potential.

"Cell One is well positioned in the Namibian market to become the key provider of competitive mobile voice and data services. Telecel Globe expects the investment in Cell One to have a positive effect on the brand, the customers and Namibia as a whole," Telecel Globe Chief Executive Kai Uebach said.

Telecel Globe has already paid $32 million for Cell One, with the balance due in January 2010. Orascom said Cell One operated a GSM network with 198,000 active subscribers and had a market share of over 20 percent. It added that Namibia had mobile penetration of close to 50 percent at the end of 2008.

See Press Release
Source: Balancingact-africa

The Commerce Commission has today released its final standard terms determination (STD) on the non-price terms on which access providers must make co-location on cellular mobile transmission sites (the Mobile Co-location Service) available to other mobile network operators.

The Mobile Co-location Service allows the equipment of a mobile network operator to be installed on another operator’s cell masts. Co-location makes it easier for mobile network operators to manage their mobile networks by allowing for the sharing of facilities, and avoids the unnecessary and inefficient duplication of facilities. As a result, co-location contributes towards removing barriers to entry and lead to the improvement of the competitive conditions in the retail mobile services market. 

See Press Release
Source: Commerce Commission

At the end of the third quarter of 2008, the total number of main telephone accesses installed at customer request stood at around 4 million, corresponding to a penetration rate of approximately 37.9 accesses per 100 inhabitants. Compared to the previous quarter, there was a slight decrease in the number of accesses (-0.6%). The decline in analogue accesses and reduction in basic, primary and fractioned ISDN accesses was not fully offset by the growth of accesses using other technologies, including GSM, VoIP and cable.
Year-on-year the number of accesses installed at customer request saw a fall of 1.3%. It should be mentioned that accesses based on GSM technology increased by 20.2% year-on-year. The exponential growth seen in the number of accesses based on VoIP technology should also be pointed out.

See Press Release
Source: ANACOM - National Authority of Telecommunications

In a letter dated 13 November 2008 the Commission has informed the Slovenian telecom watchdog, APEK, that at this stage it has serious doubts as to the finding of joint dominance in the Slovenian mobile access and call origination market. During the following two months the Commission will call for and assess further market data from APEK and market players. APEK believes that two Slovenian operators, i.e. Mobitel and Si.mobil jointly possess a dominant position in the Slovenian wholesale mobile market which is used to prevent market entry of other mobile operators by way of access to existing mobile networks. The reason for such common interest to keep the market closed is that further competition in the downstream retail mobile market could lead to price cuts and a decrease in profits for the two established operators. On the basis of such assessment, APEK proposes to impose access obligations in the form of national roaming agreements on Mobitel and Si.mobil. The Commission underlines in its serious doubts letter sent on 13 November that a finding of joint dominance of two operators requires that a number of criteria are met, i.a. that competitive checks from other sources are not effective, that both operators pursue a common policy and that they can retaliate if one of them should deviate from the joint policy. There are already four mobile network operators and two service providers in the Slovenian mobile market. Two network operators provide nationwide services using Mobitel's network. At this stage, APEK provided unclear and ambiguous information concerning the stability of the alleged 'collusive equilibrium' between the two largest operators. The so-called "Phase II" two-month investigation launched last Thursday allows APEK to provide additional market data and clarify the outstanding issues which the Commission identified as necessary conditions to make any joint dominance story credible.

Press Release
Source: Europa

Investigation into Alleged Anti-Competitive and / or Misleading or Deceptive Conduct by Pacnet Internet (HK) Limited, Hutchison Global Communications Limited, and PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited.

The Complainant is a prominent property and facilities management services company which maintains a presence at over 130 separate locations throughout Hong Kong.  It relies on outside telecommunications services to connect its operations at these locations with its company headquarters. In November 2007, when the company switched service provider, problems in the changeover surfaced, resulting in a large number of the remote locations not having broadband connection to central office on the due date.  The company complained that this was the result of various transgressions by the telecommunications service providers involved.

See Press Release

T23_08.pdf (110,19 KB)

Source: OFTA

Competitive pressure is forcing MTN to eliminate roaming fees for users travelling between different countries, in a move that could noticeably dent its profit . The cellular operator has not yet wiped out roaming fees across its networks, but has tested the feasibility of doing so in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria.

Last week it said it would introduce free roaming across all 21 countries where it operates in the first half of next year . Benin will be the next country to benefit, joining the trio of pilot countries by the end of this month.

Rival operator Zain demonstrated that free roaming is perfectly possible way back in September 2006 when it launched its "One Network" service, letting users cross between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda without paying high roaming fees. Nor do they pay to receive incoming calls when they travel -- another favourite way for operators to inflate their profits.

See Press Release
Source: Balancingact-africa

The third quarter of 2008 saw continued growth in television services provided by satellite, over the public telephone network and by FWA, while a decline was seen in the cable TV service. The total market continued to grow (3.5%) to reach a total of 2.2 million subscribers, given that the decline in the cable television service was more than offset by growth in the service provided through other technologies, which have increased their relative presence in the market.
In terms of the geographical distribution of subscribers, there was no significant alteration, with the North and Lisbon Regions retaining the largest shares of customers. Penetration remains above average in the Autonomous Regions and in Lisbon.

See Press Release
Source: ANACOM - National Authority of Telecommunications

The Commerce Commission today released a telecommunication service obligation (TSO) determination for the Local Residential Telephone Service covering the 2006/07 year. The draft cost is $62.8 million.

Under the TSO, Telecom is obliged to provide certain local residential telephone services to residential customers who may not otherwise be provided with those services at an affordable price. The TSO allows Telecom to recover its costs of providing this service.

In producing this draft determination the Commission has followed the modelling approach used in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 determinations.

The total cost for 2006/07 will be shared according to the TSO Cost Allocation determination for 2006/07 which is available on the Commission’s website. Under the Cost Allocation determination the costs will be shared amongst the following: Telecom, Vodafone, TelstraClear, WorldxChange, Compass, CallPlus, Ihug, Woosh and Teamtalk.

See Press Release
Source: New Zealand - Commerce Commission

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority ("OFTA") announced that PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited ("PCCW") has launched CDMA2000 mobile service in Hong Kong.

"This is the fifth 3G mobile network in Hong Kong , in addition to the four W-CDMA networks licensed in 2001. At service launch, the new network offers high speed data and voice services conforming to the CDMA2000 standard in the golden bowl areas covering the Kowloon peninsula and the northern part of Hong Kong Island. The service coverage will be further extended to cover places such as the airport, Mass Transit Railway stations, the road tunnels and border control points," the spokesperson of OFTA said.

"CDMA is one of the major mobile communications standards and it has been widely deployed in Canada, the USA, Japan, Korea and the mainland China. With the launch of the CDMA2000 service in Hong Kong, visitors holding CDMA equipment can now enjoy CDMA2000 roaming services. This will strengthen Hong Kong's strategic position as a world city as well as the gateway between the mainland China and the world," the spokesperson supplemented.

See Press Release
Source: OFTA

Russia's Communications Minister Igor Shchyogolev said yesterday that the government in Syria is considering allowing a Russian mobile operator into its market, Reuters reports. Speaking at the Russian-Syrian Intergovernmental Commission, Shchyogolev is quoted as saying: 'They have an idea to add one more mobile operator there.

The participation of Russian companies in the Syrian mobile market is possible.’ Commenting on the Minister’s statement a spokeswoman for Russian mobile operator MTS confirmed it would be interested in entering the market, while Vimpelcom, the second largest mobile carrier in Russia, has previously said it is interested in markets in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Number three player MegaFon also confirmed it would consider any opportunity that might emerge.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

France Telecom SA, Europe's third- largest telephone company, said it's in talks to buy a phone license in Togo in western Africa.

France Telecom said about 25 percent of Togolese have a mobile phone. The company expanded in Kenya and Uganda this year as the former French monopoly seeks faster growth than in its home market.

France Telecom last month set up a joint venture in Uganda with Hits Telecom Uganda and plans to invest $200 million in a mobile network there in the next three years. Telkom Kenya Ltd., a joint venture between France Telecom and the Kenyan government, started operations in September.

See Press Release
Source: AllAfrica 

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking public and industry comment on the effectiveness in Australia of the secondary market for radiofrequency licences.

‘ACMA has released a wide-ranging discussion paper about trading of radiofrequency licences to encourage active debate and to give all stakeholders the opportunity to contribute to improving the regime that was created in the 1990s,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman.

‘As ACMA’s instinct is to continue to move away from command and control regulation, it is vital that we have the right legislative and technical structure in place to allow spectrum to move to its highest value use,’ he said

See Press Release
Source: ACMA

Ofcom’s investigation into Phones 4U has identified evidence that Phones 4U has engaged in conduct which Ofcom considers breaches consumer protection legislation and is likely to harm the collective interests of consumers, specifically by:

• operating a policy which restricts or excludes consumers’ rights and remedies under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, including not providing the option of a replacement handset after 28 days and failing to effect a repair within a reasonable time and thereby causing significant inconvenience to consumers;
• using terms contained in their handset return policy that are unfair and contrary to the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999;
• using terms contained in their chequeback scheme that are unfair and contrary to the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999; and
• making misleading, false or deceptive representations or omissions to consumers in breach of the Control of Misleading Advertising Regulations 1988.

See Press Release
Source: OFCOM

The banking fraternity is crying foul over what it described as unfair and increasing competition from money transfer operators.

The industry says the operators are enjoying privileges similar to those extended to deposit taking institutions despite not being covered by the same regulatory regime.

"Currently, there is no legal framework within which these entities provide their services despite behaving like current account institutions," says John Wanyela, executive director of the Kenya Bankers Association. "If these operators want to join the financial sector, they have to be properly licensed."

See Press Release
Source: allAfrica.com

The European Parliament will debate, in plenary session, the so-called EU Telecoms Reform. On 13 November 2007, the European Commission had proposed to the European Parliament and the Council of Telecoms Ministers to reform the EU Telecoms rules (in place since 2003) to reinforce competition and investment and to create a Single Telecoms Market in the EU with innovative cross-border services and wireless high-speed broadband for all. Following an intense debate and many hearings, the European Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) voted on amendments on 7 July (MEMO/08/491). The debate in the European Parliament's plenary with its 785 members is expected to pave the way for a vote on the Commission's entire EU Telecoms reform proposals in first reading on 23 September. Depending on the outcome of the vote and the discussions in the Council of Telecoms Ministers of 27 November, a political agreement on the final legislative texts could be achieved between the three institutions by the end of the year. The new regulatory framework would then become the law in all 27 EU Member States by 2010.

Source: Europa

The Commission will send Spain a reasoned opinion (the second stage of an infringement proceeding and the last before the case is submitted to the European Court of Justice) on its mechanism for the designation and financing of providers of universal service. Under EU Telecoms rules, Member States must make sure that no provider is automatically excluded when designating the providers of universal service. They can also grant these universal service providers compensation for offering these services upon their request and if Member States find that this represents an unfair burden to providers. Spain has to still take legislative measures to settle these issues and has not launched a new designation procedure yet. A letter of formal notice had been sent to Spain in June 2007 (IP/07/888), but with no avail. The Commission also decided to refer Poland and Cyprus to the European Court of Justice. In two other cases, positive developments have led to today's decisions to close two pending infringement proceedings. Following adoption of new legislation, the European Commission has decided to close the pending case against Latvia for incomplete transposition of the Article 7 notification mechanism. The Commission also could close a case against Finland on "must carry" rules (IP/06/948). A detailed overview of the state of infringement proceedings is available on the implementation and enforcement website of DG Information Society and Media. 

See Press Release
Source: Europa

IN line with its objective to further liberalize the market, the Government of Rwanda has decided to select a third national operator through a public tender process. The exclusivity period enjoyed by Rwandatel and MTN Rwandacel was due to expire end of June 2008. The third operator will be issued with and have both fixed and mobile licences for a duration of 15 years. The closing date for submission of technical and financial bids is 30 September 2008. More information on the bidding process can be found on the website of the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA).

Source: Rura

Ofcom published on 11 July 2008 a notification of its withdrawal of the "Monitoring Compliance with Charge Controls" statement of 18 December 2007, the revocation of the accompanying SMP conditions MA6, and the withdrawal of the statement on the "Charge Control Compliance Standard" of 18 December 2007. This followed its consultation on revocation of 13 March 2008.

Statement
Source: OFCOM

Aiming to spur competition among operators and lower phone charges for European consumers, the Commission started on 26 June a public consultation on the future regulation of "voice call termination rates" in the EU based on a draft Commission Recommendation on termination rates. Voice call termination rates are the wholesale tariffs charged by the operator of a customer receiving a phone call to the operator of the caller's network. Included in everyone's phone bill, and therefore eventually paid by the consumer, these tariffs are determined by the intervention of national telecoms regulators. At the moment the decisions of the national telecoms regulators result in very divergent rates across the EU. Mobile termination rates range from EUR 0.02/min (in Cyprus) to over EUR 0.18/min (in Bulgaria) and are 9 times higher than fixed line termination rates (on average EUR 0.0057/min for local call termination). This distorts competition between operators from different countries and between fixed line and mobile phone operators. The public consultation on this proposal will be open until 3 September 2008.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today announced the opening of the bidding process for the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum auction. This auction follows a commitment made by this government to enable more competition in the wireless market. A total of 105 megahertz (MHz) of radio spectrum will be open for bidding, which includes 40 MHz of AWS spectrum for new entrants and another 65 MHz of spectrum for all bidders.

See Press Release

Source: Industy Canada

Government will license a fourth mobile operator and a third fixed-line operator in 2009. That's the word from ANC MP and member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Khotso Khumalo, who made the announcements at an industry Seminar, in Johannesburg.

In addition to the announcements on new operators, Khumalo also said government wanted VANS to be allowed to self-provide and that the frequency spectrum allocation would be made more efficient. “Things are changing and changing fundamentally,” said Khumalo. “As government, we need to look at better ways to liberalise the telecommunications market.”

See Press Release
Source: Africa - Balancing Act

Ofcom announced the removal of regulations for wholesale broadband access in areas of the UK which are served by effective competition. The decision is part of Ofcom’s commitment to review and, where appropriate, remove regulations in markets where there is effective competition, further promoting innovation and investment. The regulatory environment created by Ofcom has resulted in significant competition which has matured at different rates across the UK. The most competitive areas tend to be those where there is high population density, in particular large towns and cities and business districts. Following a public consultation, Ofcom will deregulate almost 70 per cent of the UK wholesale broadband market where there is now strong competition.

See Press Release
Source: OFCOM

The TRA published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, April 24th, four major decisions ensuring an improved structure of the Lebanese telecommunications market. These decisions entering into effect as of their publication date in the Official Gazette are related to the IPTV trial project, to the licenses authorizing the usage of VSAT within certain technical specifications, to the issuance of the SMP regulation and to the GSM frequencies granted to Ogero as part of a pilot project.

See Press Release and decisions
Source: TRA

The Federal Communications Commission held, on Thursday 17th, its second hearing on network management in recent weeks. The majority of people who spoke at the meeting support mandated network neutrality, which would require ISPs to deliver data equally without regard to the source or subject matter, and to disclose the way they are managing their networks and if they deliver on the speeds they promise.

The FCC Chairman Kevin Martin expressed his opinion on the commission’s task to investigate the management of broadband networks by providers such as Comcast Corp. The FCC is currently looking into some reports sent by different consumer groups, which show that cable operator Comcast Corp has unreasonably blocked or hindered some file-sharing services. Programs such as BitTorrent, used to distribute TV shows and movies were unavailable.

See Statements from the Hearing; Press Release eFluxMedia, Information Week
Source: Federal Communications Commission - FCC

Within the framework of the implementation of the conditions of healthy and perennial competition between the operators and in order to support the development of telecommunications,  ANRT  approved the technical and tariff offer of contractual interconnection to the fixed network of IAM for the year 2008. The "contractual" model of interconnection makes it possible for an operator to buy a capacity of interconnection for a tariff fixed contractually independently of  use. This model offers a capacity of interconnection for Internet or telephone services, without applying invoicing based on the duration of the calls. It thus gives the possibility to the third operators of proposing competitive and innovating offers.

See Press Release and decision
Source: ANRT 

file_fr1438.pdf (65,49 KB)file_fr1439.pdf ( KB)

The State Property Fund of Ukraine has submitted its warnings regarding the issue on the approval of the conditions as to the competition on the sale of 67,79% "Ukrtelecom" OJSC's shares to the cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.  The Fund declares that before the conditions of the competition are approved, several rather important issues which can negatively influence the object value or bring to the set of negative social consequences will have to be solved. The Fund considers that undermentioned issues require solution before the approval on the conditions of the competition as to the sale of "Ukrtelecom" OJSC's shares so it has submitted the respective letter to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The Fund hopes for the constructive consideration of the stated problems and considered approach to the privatization procedure of such strategically important object from the Government side.

See Press Release
Source: State Property Fund, Ukraine

The European Commission welcomes today's judgement of the European Court of First Instance (CFI), upholding in its entirety a 2003 Commission decision imposing a €12.6 million fine on Deutsche Telekom AG (DT) for abusing its dominant position on the German telecommunications market. For more than 5 years DT charged unfair prices for the provision of local access to its fixed telecommunications network (local loops). This meant that alternative operators could not compete effectively with Deutsche Telekom and German consumers were deprived of the benefits of choice and price competition for more than five years. The CFI ruling is important, not only for German consumers, but also because it confirms that dominant operators who have a regulatory obligation to supply access to their networks cannot evade this obligation through a margin-squeeze price policy.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

Para impulsar el desarrollo de las telecomunicaciones y la economía del país, así como acercar nuevas tecnologías a la población y permitir la entrada de nuevos inversionistas a este sector, el secretario de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT), Luis Téllez, dio a conocer el Nuevo Programa de Licitaciones de Frecuencias que incorpora una nueva banda para el Tren Suburbano.

Con este programa, los consumidores tendrán más y mejores opciones para acceder a servicios fundamentales como la banda ancha. Las nuevas frecuencias anunciadas hoy, permitirán también que aquellos operadores de radiofrecuencias que han llegado a su límite de capacidad puedan continuar creciendo.

See Press Release
Source: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes

A robust plan for the three-way operational separation of Telecom New Zealand was approved on 30 March 2008 by Communications and Information Technology Minister David Cunliffe. "Separation Day" was 31 March 2008.

The robust, three-way operational separation of Telecom New Zealand is required by the Telecommunications Act 2001. Part 2A of the Telecommunications Act 2001 also sets out the statutory process for the Minister to finalise legally enforceable undertakings (as part of the "separation plan") with Telecom.

See Press Release
Source: Ministry of Economic Development

The IPO gives residents of East Africa a chance to own a small piece of the largest company in East Africa. President Mwai Kibaki, while launching the sale invited residents of the East African Community to share in the purchase, saying it would provide an ideal medium of distributing wealth.

This is the second time Kenya has invited East Africans to its capital market after the simultaneous budget readings last year.

See Press Release
Source: allAfrica.com

According to the Economic Times, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has said that interested parties may bid for up to 10MHz of 3G spectrum, rejecting telecom regulator TRAI’s recommendation to award just 5MHz. The decision will effectively allow foreign players and new domestic companies to bid for a maximum of two 5MHz blocks, the minimum deemed necessary for a start up operation.

See Press Release
Source: TeleGeography

The Ministry of Communications and IT on March 18th,2008 released a Request for Expressions of Interest (REI) in the sale of 80% of the shares (the ‘Privatization’) of Afghan Telecom Corporation. The details are posted in the Latest Tenders section of the web site. Interested Parties have until the 4th of April to submit their expressions of interest. This ambitious project aims at strengthening this promising telecommunications operator through the involvement of the private sector, and represents one of the most ambitious privatization projects in Afghanistan to date.

See Press Release
Source: Ministry of Communication and Information Technology - MCIT

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Tarek Kamel and that of Local Development General Abdel-Salam Mohamed Mahgoub witnessed today the signing of a cooperation agreement between National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and Local Development Ministry on the second landline network operations.

The agreement aims to set and unify the procedures of carrying out the operations required for establishing the second landline network infrastructure across Egypt.

See Press Release
Source: National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority - NTRA

The 8^th Global Symposium for Regulators took place from 11 to 13 March 2008 in Pattaya, Thailand. This major ITU event focused on best practices in regulatory measures to foster and encourage sharing of infrastructure resources as a means of stimulating investment and growth in the ICT sector.

Ten discussion papers were developed for this year's GSR:

1. What do we mean by 6 Degrees of Sharing?
2. Extending Open Access to National Fibre Backbones in Developing Countries
3. International Gateway Liberalization: the Singapore experience
4. Breaking Up is Hard to Do: The Emergence of Functional Separation as a Regulatory Remedy
5. Mobile Sharing
6. Spectrum Sharing
7. WRC-07 Results and Impact on Terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access Systems
8. End-User Sharing
9. International Mobile Roaming Regulation – An Incentive for Cooperation
10. IPTV and Mobile TV: New Challenges for Regulators

Comments are welcome by 13 April 2008 at: gsr08@itu.int.   

More information on the event as well as the presentations from the panel sessions can be found at the GSR 2008 website.

See: Press release 

Source: ITU

Con esta medida el Organismo Supervisor de la Inversión Privada en Telecomunicaciones (OSIPTEL), impulsa la competencia en el servicio de Internet y reducirá en más de 90% el costo fijo mensual de los operadores que deseen competir con Telefónica del Perú a nivel nacional en el servicio de Internet mediante el uso de los circuitos virtuales ATM con acceso ADSL.

Con respecto a la medida que incentivará el acceso a Internet el Regulador de las Telecomunicaciones emitirá pronto una norma que logrará que se reduzca el precio mensual y el fijo que pagan los operadores por conectarse a la red de Telefónica. De esta manera, los operadores distintos de Telefónica podrán ofrecer a sus clientes un servicio con tarifas más competitivas.

See Press Release
Source: Organismo Supervisor de Inversión Privada en Telecomunicaciones - OSIPTEL

The Commerce Commission has issued its final recommendation to the Minister of Communications on the regulation of mobile roaming. It has recommended that the mobile roaming service not be designated, which means that it will not be subject to price regulation. The Commission is also recommending that the definition of the service be amended to make it compatible with modern technology.

The Commission considers that there are insufficient grounds to recommend extending the mobile roaming service to include the determination of price. Vodafone and NZ Communications Ltd, a new mobile company, already have a commercial agreement for the provision of roaming services. In the Commission’s analysis, the difference between the price in the commercial agreement and a price likely to be set under designation was too small to justify intervention, when the cost delay and uncertainty of designation was taken into account.

See Press Release
Source: Commerce Commission

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today established a new framework for wholesale services that will promote competition in wholesale and retail telecommunications markets based on sound economic principles. The new framework was developed with a view to ensuring that existing and new competitors continue to have access to the services they need to compete, while at the same time providing incentives for innovation and investments in competing networks.

See Press Release and Decision
Source: CRTC

The European Commission has imposed a penalty payment of € 899 million on Microsoft for non-compliance with its obligations under the Commission’s March 2004 Decision prior to 22 October 2007. Today’s Decision, adopted under Article 24(2) of Regulation 1/2003, finds that, prior to 22 October 2007, Microsoft had charged unreasonable prices for access to interface documentation for work group servers. The 2004 Decision, which was upheld by the Court of First Instance in September 2007, found that Microsoft had abused its dominant position under Article 82 of the EC Treaty, and required Microsoft to disclose interface documentation which would allow non-Microsoft work group servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers at a reasonable price.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

ARCEP is launching today its second cycle of fixed telephony market analysis. It is submitting to public consultation its plan which involves deregulating the fixed telephony retail markets and focusing solely on access and interconnection which constitute a long-time bottleneck (access to the telephone network, call origination and termination).

The document is open to public consultation until 4^th April 2008 at 5.00 PM. Responses must be sent to the following address: fixe@arcep.fr.

This document, with player contributions, will then be submitted to the competition authority, Conseil de la Concurrence, for its opinion.

See Press release and document

Source: ARCEP

The symposium organized by WTO on 20-21 February 2008 in Geneva commemorated the 10^th anniversary of the entry into force of the 4^th Protocol of the GATS, more commonly known as the Basic Telecommunications Agreement (BTA). The two day event highlights the transformation of telecommunications over the past decade and the regulatory challenges governments have faced. It also explores the broader implications for the ICT sector, trade, economic development and growth, and prospects for the future.

The ITU Secretary General Dr. Hamadoun Touré gave opening remarks at the first day of the symposium. Ms. Susan Schor of the Regulatory and Market Environment Division of ITU-BDT gave a presentation on 10 Years Regulatory Trends. Ms. Vanessa Gray from the Market Information and Statistics Division, ITU-BDT presented ICT Market Trends, which have swept the sector over the last decade. Dr. Tim Kelly from the Standardization Policy Division, ITU-TSB provided an overview of Past and future regulatory challenges and their relevance for trade negotiators.   

Source: WTO and ITU

The Commission has approved today the proposal of the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom to de-regulate the wholesale broadband market in some parts of the UK, covering around 65% of all UK homes and businesses This is the first time that a national telecoms regulator in the EU has identified different broadband markets in different geographic areas within a country and proposed lifting regulation in those geographic areas now characterised by effective competition. The Commission supports Ofcom's proposal, which is based on detailed economic evidence, to deregulate local exchanges with four or more actual or potential providers serving areas with more than 10,000 homes and businesses. For the Commission, Ofcom's proposal represents a reasonable move towards better targeted regulation, concentrating on those geographic areas where structural competition problems persist.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

According to the competition authority (Conseil de la concurrence), there is no prompt measures are be taken against France Telecom in relation to complaints by rivals concerning access to FTTh.  However, is has deceided to investigate  thorougly.

See Press Release
Source: Conseil de la concurrence

According to Reuters,  the European Commission is set to take Poland to the European Union's top court concerning national telecoms regulator's independance. Luxembourg will be sent an initial warning for not ensuring its domestic telecoms regulator is independent. Under EU rules, national telecoms watchdogs must be independent of governments to enforce competition and face down pressure from  incumbents or former state-owned national monopoly operators.

Source: Reuters

The Commerce Commission has issued guidelines on how the Commission addresses issues or complaints that relate to competition concerns in the telecommunications market.
The Commission enforces Part 2 of the Commerce Act, which relates to restrictive trade practices, including the use of market power by one company to limit the level of competition in a particular market. The Commission also enforces the Telecommunications Act, which focuses on the regulation of companies with market power in the telecommunications industry. Both Acts have a similar purpose which is to promote competition in markets for the long term benefits of consumers.
Commission Chair, Paula Rebstock, said "These guidelines provide clarity as to when action against anti-competitive behaviour in the telecommunications industry would be taken under the Commerce Act.”

See Press Release
Source: New Zealand - Commerce Commission

El Consejo de la CMT ha adoptado una decisión sobre las líneas maestras de la regulación que aplicará a las Redes de Acceso de Nueva Generación (NGA). El objetivo de la CMT es incentivar la inversión y la innovación tecnológica de los operadores en el despliegue de redes de fibra óptica, promover el desarrollo de una competencia efectiva y sostenible, así como garantizar la inversión en infraestructuras llevada a cabo por los competidores del operador tradicional.

See Press Release
Source: Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (CMT)

Commission initiates formal investigations against Microsoft in two cases of suspected abuse of dominant market position
The European Commission has decided to initiate two formal antitrust investigations against Microsoft Corp concerning two separate categories of alleged infringements of EC Treaty rules on abuse of a dominant market position (Article 82). The first case where proceedings have been opened is in the field of interoperability in relation to a complaint by the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS). The second area where proceedings have been opened is in the field of tying of separate software products following inter alia a complaint by Opera.

See Press Release
Source : Europa

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago has recommended to the Minister of Public Administration that Concessions be granted to Trinidad Publishing Company Limited ( CNC3) and Synergy Entertainment Network Limited to provide Free to Air Television Broadcasting Services for periods of ten years. On April 27th 2007, the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago invited interested parties to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of Free to Air Television Broadcasting Services. Based on responses to the above, the Board of the Authority took a decision to open the Free-to-Air television market to allow for three (3) additional National, two (2) additional Major Territorial and two (2) additional Minor Territorial providers of television broadcasting services.

See Press Release
Source: Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago

During the past year, the Commission for Communications Regulation (“ComReg”)  faced a challenging regulatory environment in the retail market for telecoms as the sales  strategy of the telecoms industry has begun to shift towards selling services within a  bundle for an overall retail price and away from the traditional “standalone” line rental  and calls offers. Consumers are reaping the benefits of generally lower prices within  these bundled offers and competition in the broadband market has also stimulated  innovative and varied sales offers to attract customers. In order for ComReg to address this regulatory uncertainty and to provide industry with the  assurance that the SMP operator is in compliance with its regulatory obligations,  ComReg has hired Oxera Consulting Limited (“Oxera”) to assist it in undertaking a review of the positive and negative impact of bundled offers on consumers and competition and whether intervention may be required by ComReg in certain circumstances.  Oxera has now completed this work and has proposed an approach which forms the basis of this consultation. ComReg believes that the proposed approach represents a significant step forward in providing clarity and certainty to both ComReg and industry.  However, before any formal decision can be made by ComReg on an appropriate regulatory approach, there are some fundamental questions that must first be addressed.  These questions are set out in this consultation and ComReg has set out its preliminary views. ComReg would like industry to provide a response to each question so as to inform its preliminary views and assist it in arriving at a formal decision on these very important matters.  Active industry participation in this consultation will help to ensure that ComReg’s final decision is robust and in the best interests of the market as a whole. 

ComReg0805.pdf (269,55 KB)ComReg0805a.pdf (292,07 KB)
Source: ComReg

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today released details on how the auction for Advanced Wireless Services spectrum, to be held on May 27, 2008, will be conducted. Of the 105 megahertz of spectrum to be made available, 40 MHz will be set aside exclusively for new entrants to bid on. The other 65 MHz will be available to all bidders. The spectrum being set aside amounts to less than 14 percent of the total mobile spectrum that will be in use after the auction.

See Press Release

See Policy Framework

Source: Industry Canada

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (“OFTA”) has completed an investigation into the competitiveness of local leased circuit (“LLC”) provision in Hong Kong. The purpose of the investigation was to obtain an updated picture of the state of competition in relation to LLC services, especially from the perspective of users.

The main conclusion to be drawn is that there are effective competitive constraints on traditional LLCs. Alternative technologies and service platforms are increasingly viable, and the various competing service providers are closely chasing each other on service quality and network coverage. The competitive pressure from new entrants and new service platforms is maintaining the overall trend of lower prices for local data connection services in Hong Kong.

See Press Release

Source: Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)

Amidst the policy of liberalizing telecommunication services in Egypt and according to Egypt’s international commitments with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and based on Law no. 10 for the year 2003, which states that Telecom Egypt’s monopoly over international telephony services must end by the year 2005, the NTRA has agreed to offer the license to international telephony services to any mobile service company that is willing to offer these services only to its clients and customers. Telecom Egypt’s right to offer international telephony services via carrier selection will be maintained, according to its license.

See more

Source: NTRA Egypt

The Competition Bureau has undertaken an initiative to ensure that consumers receive proper disclosure of any terms and conditions that affect the value and use of prepaid long distance telephone calling cards. The Bureau will be contacting providers of prepaid telephone calling cards across Canada to ensure that these businesses disclose more information on the cards themselves and in any related advertising material. At a minimum, businesses should:

• Disclose the effective rate per minute and the number of minutes available on the card.
• Disclose any conditions that might adversely affect the advertised rate per minute and number of minutes near the main body of the representation — this information should not be printed in a small font or appear on a background that obstructs its visibility.
• Discontinue the use of fine print disclaimers that contain information contradicting the main message — the main body of the representation should not be misleading when read alone.

See Press Release

Source : Industry Canada

ECTA just released the Regulatory Scorecards 2007.  Regulatory Scorecards are studies on the effectiveness of regulation and the link between effective regulation and investment.

The question of how best to drive growth and innovation in the telecoms sector is high on the agenda with the 2006 review of the Electronic Communications Framework. Europe has to choose between two paths for the future of the telecoms sector: competitiveness, choice and investment or re-monopolisation and stagnation. By measuring the powers and performance of NRAs and the regulatory regimes overall, the Scorecard Report seeks to determine how effectively each of 16 countries promotes investment and competition as at 31st August 2005.

See More

Source: ECTA

In its Small incumbent local exchange carriers' show cause – Follow-up to Telecom Decision 2006-14, the Commission (CRTC)
* determines that the local winback rule and the competitive safeguards for promotions will not apply to the small incumbent local exchange carriers (SILECs);
 * forbears from regulating the retail access-independent local voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services provided by the SILECs but does not forbear from regulating the access-dependent local VoIP services provided by the SILECs;
* determines that the other aspects of the VoIP framework – including local number portability, digital subscriber loop service providers' access, directory listings, and equal access obligations – will apply to the SILECs; and
* determines that the quality of service rate rebate plan detailed in Telecom Decision 2005-20 will not apply to the SILECs. Instead, the Commission directs the SILECs to continue to use their complaint-based system.

See the Decision

Source : CRTC

Ofcom today published a consultation on the wholesale broadband market, setting out its proposed approach for future regulation of this sector. The proposals include the removal of regulatory obligations in areas of the country where strong competition is now a reality. Ofcom’s approach protects consumers in those parts of the UK where competition in the provision of wholesale broadband is still weak.

See Press Release

Source: OFCOM

The proposed European Telecom Market Authority is designed to "support the Commission and national telecoms regulators" in EU27, the Commission said. Its function will be to ensure that regulation is applied "consistently, independently and without protectionism" across the EU.

See also Background Factsheet: European Telecom Market Authority.

Source: European Commission (IP/07/1677)

MIC has developed the draft Guideline for Operation of the Opinion Submission System in the Telecommunications Business Field in regard to the measure to strengthen the dispute settlement function, which is one of the measures covered in the New Competition Promotion Program 2010.
MIC now invites public comment on the draft guideline from today to Tuesday, December 11, 2007.MIC now invites public comment on the draft guideline from today to Tuesday, December 11, 2007.

See more

Source: MIC

As part of its package of telecom reform proposals presented today (see IP/07/1677), the European Commission has adopted a new Recommendation on the markets where telecom-specific regulation should take place. The original 2003 version of this Recommendation listed 18 retail and wholesale markets where the Commission considers that specific ex ante regulation is required by national telecoms regulators to deal with competition problems. To reflect the progress made in the past years in most EU Member States in terms of competition and consumer choice, the Commission concluded that in principle there is no need for regulators to intervene in half of these markets. At the same time, this move will allow regulation to better focus on the main bottlenecks in the telecoms sector.

See Press Release and Ten Background Factsheets

Source: Europa

Está aberto o prazo para envio de contribuições à proposta da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) de alteração do Plano Geral de Metas para a Universalização (PGMU) e de Minuta de Termo Aditivo aos Contratos de Concessão das operadoras do Serviço Telefônico Fixo Comutado (STFC). A alteração pode possibilitar a troca de 8.461 Postos de Serviços de Telecomunicações (PSTs), que devem ser instalados pelas concessionárias da telefonia fixa, por troncos (backhauls) com infra-estrutura de rede e de suporte do STFC para conexão banda larga por meio do protocolo IP em alta velocidade, o que beneficiará 3.570 cidades. Full press news

Source: Anatel, Brazil

In order to draw up the Position Paper on the Regulatory Strategy for the Romanian Electronic Communications Sector up to 2010, ANRCTI and its consultant, TASC Strategic Consulting, undertook a diagnosis-analysis of the Romanian electronic communications sector which outlined, among others, the fact that Romania lags behind most of the other EU Member States in terms of the penetration of its electronic communications services. Main gap in penetration falls in the broadband and fixed telephony services, whereas penetration of subscription TV services is higher than the European average.  

 

Mobile telephony and subscription TV services fueled the Romanian market growth. Whereas revenues from subscription TV registered the highest annual average growth rates (40%), mobile telephony became the most important source of revenues within the sector (56.7% of the total gross revenues). Therefore, both segments reached high levels of penetration (62.5% as regards subscription TV and, respectively, 90.5% for mobile telephony). On the contrary, the penetration rate of broadband Internet access services is still unsatisfactory, in spite of the accelerated growth, while fixed telephony seems to continue its ”zero growth” from both revenues and penetration standpoints. Full press release

 

Source: ANRCTI, Poland

O Conselho Diretor da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) decidiu hoje, em sua 459º Reunião, submeter à consulta pública proposta de alteração do Plano Geral de Metas para a Universalização (PGMU) e Termo Aditivo ao Contrato de Concessão da telefonia fixa. A proposta prevê a substituição de 8.461 Postos de Serviços de Telecomunicações (PSTs) por backhauls com infra-estrutura de banda larga em todos os municípios brasileiros, o que beneficiará 3.570 municípios sem banda larga. A consulta ficará disponível para contribuições entre os dias 8 e 19 de novembro. Full press release

Source: Anatel, Brazil

The Korea-Uzbekistan IAC (Information Access Center) has opened in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The center is expected to play a leading role to establish IT infrastructure and provide IT education in Uzbekistan.

The MIC and Agency of Communication and Information of Uzbekistan held the opening ceremony of the Korea-Uzbekistan IAC in the morning of October 25th at the main hall of the Tashkent Information and Communications University. High ranking officials of both countries participated in the ceremony, including Minister Younghwan Yoo of the MIC, Director General Abdulla N. Aripov of Communications and Information Agency (Deputy Prime Minister), Korean Ambassador Jemin Kyun in Uzbekistan, President Youn-gi Sohn of Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion, and President Kashimov of Tashkent University of Information Technologies. Full press release

Source: Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), Korea

According to the latest figures released by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) today (4 November 2007), out of the total 2.5 million households in Hong Kong, 1.98 million households and 1.36 million households are provided with at least two and three customer access networks (CANs) self-built by fixed network operators. In other words, 79% and 55% of households have a choice of at least two and three fixed carriers respectively.

"We are pleased to see the continual investment made by fixed carriers in constructing their networks. The initiative taken by the fixed carriers has enabled consumers to enjoy more choices of telecommunications services," said the OFTA's spokesperson. Full press release

Source: OFTA, Hong Kong

La CRT pone a disposición del sector y demás interesados, las presentaciones que fueron expuestas el pasado 22 y 23 de octubre de 2007 en el Salón Imperial del Hotel Las Americas con motivo del 2ndo Taller Internacional sobre Regulación, Competencia e Interconexión. En este evento se buscó proporcionar las herramientas básicas para que los agentes del sector a nivel nacional e internacional y los reguladores de la región adquirieran los conocimientos necesarios para fomentar el establecimiento de marcos reglamentarios que promuevan la innovación, la inversión y el acceso asequible a las NGN, y faciliten la transición hacia las mismas, mediante la orientación de expertos internacionales en el tema, que trataron diferentes tópicos relacionados. Full press release

Source: CRT, Colombia

Washington, DC – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Report and Order (Order) banning the use of exclusivity clauses for the provision of video services to multiple dwelling units (“MDUs”) or other real estate developments.  The Order finds that nearly 30% of Americans live in MDUs and these numbers are growing.

 

With this proceeding, the Commission is taking another step to foster greater competition in the market for the delivery of multichannel video programming.  These rules will increase choice and competition for consumers residing in MDUs and other real estate developments.   In this Order, the Commission prohibits the enforcement or execution of existing exclusivity clauses and the execution of new ones by MVPDs subject to section 628 of the Communications Act. Full press release

 

Source: FCC, United States

Italian Antitrust Body is to Probe Telecom Italia for Market Dominance Abuse. The Italian antitrust authority has launched a probe against Telecom Italia for abusing its dominant position in the Italian telecoms market following complaints from rivals FastWeb and Wind.

See more

Source : AGCM Italy

Having taken into consideration the changes in market environment resulting from the progress in the shift to IP, such as the advances in the move to broadband, the transition from PSTN (public switched telephone network) to IP (Internet Protocol) networks, and the diversification of business models, MIC is looking to promote greater competition in the telecommunications market and improve user benefits. In order to do this, MIC has formulated a "New Competition Promotion Program 2010" concerning measures to be implemented from the point of view of putting in place fair competition rules by the beginning of the 2010 decade.

Source : MIAC Telecommunications Bureau

Vol17_13.pdf (249,15 KB)060928_1.pdf (35,37 KB)

(PRENSA CONATEL /Leonardo Azarak) El Ministro del Poder Popular para las Telecomunicaciones y la Informática, Jesse Chacón se reunió con las delegaciones de Siria, Nigeria y Rusia, para compartir los adelantos del proyecto Satélite Simón Bolívar, dando cumplimiento a la agenda venezolana en la Conferencia Mundial de Radiocomunicaciones en Suiza.

Nabil Kisrawi, delegado de la comisión siria, con gran trayectoria en la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones (UIT), se mostró complacido con los avances en la construcción del satélite y comentó que la administración siria apoyará el proyecto y dará a conocer con otros países árabes los beneficios de la iniciativa venezolano – uruguaya. Full press release

Source: CONATEL, Venezuela

The European Court of Justice yesterday ordered the French government to recover up to EUR1.1 billion in illegal state aid it provided to the incumbent fixed line operator France Telecom. The Court has  sided with the European Commission which now wants the money repaid within months.

For Press Release

Source: Europa

Brazil's telecoms regulator Anatel gave conditional approval on Tuesday to Spanish telco Telefónica's (NYSE: TEF) acquisition of Telecom Italia (NYSE: TI), local and international press reported Brazil's communications minister Hélio Costa as saying.

On April 28, a consortium of Italian firms and TEF reached an agreement to indirectly acquire a 23.6% controlling stake in TI. The group agreed to buy TI's controlling shareholder Olimpia from Italian holding companies Pirelli and Sintonia for around 4.1bn euros (US$5.6bn). Full press release

Source: Business News Americas

Following the referrals by T-Online and Liberty Surf companies, respectively in November 2001 and February 2002, who subsequently withdrew their complaint, and following a referral ex-officio by the Conseil de la concurrence, the latter has just published its decision. The decision penalizes France Telecom for abusing its dominant position on the local loop market in favouring marketing of internet access services by its Wanadoo subsidiary to the detriment of the competing Internet access providers.

See the Press Release and the decision

Source: Conseil de la Concurrence

The Commission of the Dutch Independent Post and Telecommunications Authority (OPTA) has imposed fines totalling EUR 2.88 million on Koninklijke KPN N.V. The reason for this is that KPN has failed to report agreements with two customers active in the wholesale market to OPTA. This was revealed when OPTA launched an investigation following a complaint filed by a market party. This investigation found that the services offered in these agreements were unacceptable, because they were discriminatory and were not transparent. Since KPN wrongly failed to report the relevant services to OPTA, the regulatory authority was unable to perform its duties properly.

See complete Press Release

Source: OPTA

Chile's telecoms regulator Subtel plans to auction spectrum for wireless broadband in the 700MHz band, watchdog head Pablo Bello told reporters.

Bello said licenses for the WiMax-type service would be offered in the upper part of the UHF band, which has traditionally been used for television broadcasting.

"In the US, spectrum has been awarded in the 700MHz band, which has a lot of advantages, as it can be used to penetrate closed areas and cover long distances, which facilitates the development of new connectivity services, Bello said. Full press release

Source: Business News Americas

Two companies have qualified to bid for a 70 percent stake in Rwandatel, a state-owned fixed and mobile phone operator, a government official told Reuters on Thursday. They are Libya's LapGreen Network and South Africa's Vodacom, according to Manasseh Twahirwa, the executive secretary in Rwanda's privatisation unit.

"We are now going to invite each one of these two companies separately for negotiations on both their technical and financial offers," Twahirwa said. "There's need to harmonise their offers with our government's vision. It's from that stage that we will come up with an overall winner." 

Six companies, including Kuwaiti-owned Celtel and Jordan's V-Tel, had shown interest in the operator in the tiny central African country where cellular services have become an indispensable communication tool. In July, Rwanda bought back Rwandatel for $12 million having previously sold it to Terracom for $20 million, saying the new owners had failed to deliver on contractual obligations such as rolling out a new mobile network.

Source: Reuters

Orascom Telecom will bid for Egypt's second fixed line telephony licence, which the government plans to sell next year. Minister of Communications Tarek Kamel said in late June that Egypt would offer a licence to operate a second fixed line network, ending years of monopoly by state-dominated Telecom Egypt. Orascom also received a licence on Sunday to build a submarine network for international phone calls.

See more

Source: Telegeography

Decision ANRT/DG/N°12/07 has designated operators with significant market power for the year 2008.

Source: ANRT

1 de octubre, 2007) Según estudios de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TIC) aportan entre 10% y 24% a la tasa de crecimiento del PIB de América Latina. Pero aunque representan herramientas importantes para el desarrollo económico y social de la región, el debate en torno al impulso a estas tecnologías está apenas iniciado.

Para avanzar en la adopción de las TIC y establecer nuevas metas concretas para el acceso e inclusión digital, creación de capacidades y conocimientos, entre otras materias, la CEPAL y el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto de la República Argentina han organizado la Reunión de Consulta Regional preparatoria de la II Conferencia Ministerial sobre Sociedad de la Información de América Latina y el Caribe, este 4-5 octubre de 2007 en el Palacio San Martín, sede de la Cancillería Argentina, en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Full press release

Source: CEPAL

During the first half of 2007, ANACOM received 10,259 written complaints and 363 requests for information from users of communications services and from the general public about their dealings with providers of communications services and the use of these services. In addition, a further 2,347 consultations were made by phone or in person.

Compared to the same period of 2006, the overall volume of complaints has increased by 28% from 8,004. Full press release

Source: ANACOM, Portugal

The Australian Communications and Media Authority proposes to revoke additional licence conditions on Radio Larrakia’s community radio broadcasting licence in Darwin and invites submissions on the proposal. Radio Larrakia broadcasts on 94.5 MHz.

The additional licence conditions, which were imposed when the licence was allocated in 1998, require Radio Larrakia Association (the licensee) to include Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association and Larrakia Nation on its board and sub-committees and to open membership to all Darwin residents.

Radio Larrakia has submitted a proposed constitution and requested that ACMA revoke the additional licence conditions. Full press release

Source: ACMA, Australia

This year, the children in Padureni village, Botosani county, have one reason more to be happy that school starts – today, September 17, 2007, in the first day of school, Dan Georgescu, President of the National Regulatory Authority for Communications and Information Technology, together with Sorin Vasilescu, Junior Project Manager Orange Romania have been present at Padureni at the launching of the telecentre which Orange Romania installed here, at ANRCTI’s initiative.

“So far, more than 17,000 children of the communities where telecentres have been installed have access to knowledge and are closer to the world. It is a great joy for us to be able to offer to the children of Padureni, as well, the opportunity to be connected to other children as them, both locally and worldwide. The programme initiated by ANRCTI enabled approximately 230,000 people of 253 localities where telecentres were installed to communicate easier with their friends and relatives from abroad and to be always informed. In Botosani county, 10 telecentres are already functional and, following the tender ANRCTI organised in June, two more telecentres shall be installed”, Dan Georgescu, President of ANRCTI, declared.  Full press release

 

Source: ANRC, Romania

OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that it will issue its decision on the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) before the end of December, rather than on September 15, due to the high level of interest generated by the process and the complexity of the issues.

The Commission launched a public process on June 29, 2007, the same day that the Task Force on the Canadian Television Fund published its report. The report contained a number of recommendations to improve the funding of Canadian programs, increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the CTF, and enhance the participation of broadcasting distributors, such as cable and satellite companies, in the CTF. During the public process, Canadians and stakeholders from the broadcasting industry were invited to submit their views on the implementation of the Task Force’s recommendations. Full press release

Source: CRTC, Canada

A Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) promove - em conjunto com o Ministério das Comunicações; a Comissão de Ciência e Tecnologia, Comunicação e Informática, da Câmara dos Deputados; e a Comissão de Ciência e Tecnologia, Inovação, Comunicação e Informática, do Senado Federal - a Conferência Nacional Preparatória de Comunicações. O encontro, que acontece na próxima semana, de 17 a 19 de setembro, no Congresso Nacional, terá como tema "Uma Nova Política para a Convergência Tecnológica e o Futuro das Comunicações". Full Press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

 sessão para o recebimento do Documento de Identificação, das Propostas de Preços e da Documentação de Habilitação para obtenção de autorização para exploração do Serviço Móvel Pessoa (SMP), a telefonia celular, no âmbito de Edital da Licitação 001/2007/SPV da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel), será realizada na próxima terça-feira, 18. Os interessados devem se credenciar entre 8h30 e 10h, no Espaço Cultural da Anatel (SAUS, Quadra 6, Bloco C, Brasília, DF). Full press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

The Federal Trade Commission is warning mortgage brokers and lenders, and media outlets that carry their advertisements for home mortgages, that some of the advertising claims currently appearing in Web sites, newspapers, magazines, direct mail, and unsolicited e-mail and faxes may violate federal law.

See Press release

Source : FTC

On 4 September 2007 ITU has released a major publication, Trends in Telecommunication Reform: the Road to NGN. This is the 8^th of a series of reports focusing on the ongoing transformation in the telecom/ICT sector to inform regulators and policy makers around the world.

During the past week, the report got news coverage by numerous leading national and international media, witnessing the interest of the ten chapters of research and analysis dedicated to issues related to the transition towards Next Generation Networks (NGN). You can find links to some of the news reports in the attached document.

More information about the 2007 report is available at the “On the Road to NGN” website.

The publication is available for sale at the ITU bookshop.

Atendiendo las solicitudes recibidas de diferentes agentes del sector, en las que se manifiesta la necesidad de contar con tiempo adicional para el estudio detallado del documento sobre “Consideraciones para la implementación de la presuscripción en Colombia”, la Comisión de Regulación de Telecomunicaciones amplía el plazo de recepción de comentarios al mismo hasta el 21 de septiembre de 2007. Full note

Source: CRT, Colombia

Com o Termo assinado, há a previsão de se beneficiar 782 instituições que assistem pessoas com deficiência auditiva. A Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) e as concessionárias da telefonia fixa local - Brasil Telecom, CTBC, Oi, Sercomtel e Telefônica - assinaram o Termo de Obrigações de Universalização que prevê o benefício, por meio da instalação de Terminal de Telecomunicações para Surdos (TTS), a 782 instituições que assistem pessoas com deficiência auditiva. A assinatura do Termo ocorreu em cerimônia realizada na tarde de quarta-feira, 5, na Anatel. Full Press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has registered a revised version of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice. The code has been amended at clause 5.6 to permit an additional minute per hour of political non-program matter to be broadcast between 6:00 pm and midnight during election periods.

'ACMA is satisfied that the commercial free-to-air television industry peak body, Free TV Australia, has fulfilled the requirement for public consultation on this matter as set out in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992,' said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. 'Based on the evidence provided from submissions, there was no strong view that the proposed amendment would result in a lessening of community safeguards during an election period.' Ful lPress release

Source: ACMA, Australia

Geneva, 4 September 2007 — ITU has released a major publication, Trends in Telecommunication Reform: the Road to NGN. In its 8th edition, Trends reports on the evolution of circuit-switched telecommunication into "next-generation" networks, as operators around the world fight to remain competitive. The Report aims at enabling regulators and policy-makers in developing countries to better understand the changes transforming the ICT sector so they can evolve their policy and regulatory frameworks to leverage today’s technological and market developments.

What does NGN mean for regulators? They have many choices to make. Some view NGN as the intersection of the telecom and Internet worlds. If so, which regulatory regime should apply? The current heavily-regulated telecom regulatory model? The lightly-regulated Internet model? Or some new hybrid model? The migration to NGN affords an opportunity for regulators to analyze current practices and revise them in light of what makes sense going forward. This Trends report offers a detailed discussion of the kinds of measures that are needed to ensure that regulation keeps pace with technological and market developments so that the best of NGN is available to all of the world’s people.

The ITU press release is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

More information about the content of the 2007 report is available at the “On the Road to NGN” website.

The publication is available for sale at the ITU bookshop.

The FCC has agreed to alter legislation which will allow major telcos such as AT&T and Verizon Communications to combine their local and long-distance telephony operations without facing additional regulations. Operators will be able to integrate their local and long-distance services without being burdened with ‘dominant carrier’ regulations. Telcos have agreed to introduce measures to protect consumers’ interests, including the launch of special tariff plans for low usage long-distance subscribers.

Source: Telegeography

With the publication of an Information Memorandum (IM) which sets out the detailed auction rules and conditions today (31 August 2007), the Government invites applications to bid for the radio spectrum for the provision of CDMA2000 mobile services (CDMA2000 services).

"CDMA2000 is one of the main mobile communications standards in the world capable of delivering high speed data services. There are over 350 million mobile subscribers in 85 economies, including 39 million in Mainland, adopting this standard," a spokesperson of the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) said. Full Press release

Source: OFTA, Hong Kong

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has granted Orion Satellite Systems Pty Ltd an exemption from the requirement of providing local number portability.

‘While portability improves opportunities for competition, there are some circumstances where it may not be practicable for a new carrier or carriage service provider to provide portability,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. ‘Orion’s local number service is one such case because its interconnection arrangements cannot currently accommodate the porting of single numbers.’ Full Press release

Source: ACMA, Australia

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is proposing to introduce two new number ranges to facilitate trials of new telecommunications services.

‘ACMA recognises that telecommunications providers need to trial new services in order to develop new products for their customers,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. ‘The new trial number ranges give carriage service providers the flexibility they need to trial services, while facilitating the introduction of innovative services into the market.’ Full Press release

Source: ACMA, Australia

Fiji’s interim Commerce Minister, Taito Waradi, says that 15 companies including local and international firms, have applied for a licence to operate a mobile telephone network in Fiji. The minister’s announcement followed the closing of the deadline for submissions yesterday. The country’s Ministry director of communications Jale Curuki added that the nation could theoretically cater for up to nine mobile operators but conceded that the actual level would be ‘determined by the market.’

Meanwhile, Mr Waradi went on to point out that currently there were no mobile operators licensed in Fiji, with the only recognised companies being Telecom Fiji and FINTEL. ‘Both are paying about USD1.2 million each and Vodafone is riding on the back of Telecom Fiji's licence,’ the minister said. ‘Vodafone Fiji itself does not have a licence,’ he said. See full publication

Source: Telegeography

Germany's Federal Cartel Office has approved the planned mobile TV joint venture of T-Mobile, O2 Germany and Vodafone Germany. The competition authority will investigate antitrust aspects  and issue a decision in September.

See related news

Source: Communications Direct; Global Insight

The government of Senegal is inviting companies to tender for the licence to a third mobile operator. Deadline is set for 31 August. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, Senegal’s mobile market has 3.37 million mobile users (March 2007).

See more

Source: Telegeography

By means of the Electronic System of Public Procurement (SEAP), available from March 2002 on the website address www.e-licitatie.ro, the registered public institutions organize award procedures of the public procurement contracts by electronic means, in which any economic operator may participate. 

Starting January 1, 2007, according to the Government Emergency Ordinance no.34/2006 regarding the award of the public procurement contracts, public work concession contracts and services concession contracts, all state institutions have the obligation to publish the individual service contract forecast, the service procurement notice and the award notices, as well as the invitations to tender related to the requests for quotation within SEAP. So far, the 8,166 contracting authorities registered within the Electronic System of Public Procurement have published 106,134 notices and invitations to tender related to the public procurement procedures. 6,028 of them were published in the Official Journal of the European Union, thus Romania holds the first position in electronic transmission of notices towards OJEU. Full Press release

 

Source: ANRC, Romania

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted legal proceedings in the Federal Court, Sydney, against Trading Post Australia Pty Ltd, Google Inc, Google Ireland Limited and Google Australia Pty Ltd alleging misleading and deceptive conduct in relation to sponsored links that appeared on the Google website.

The ACCC is alleging that Trading Post contravened sections 52 and 53(d) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 in 2005 when the business names "Kloster Ford" and "Charlestown Toyota" appeared in the title of Google sponsored links to Trading Post's website. Kloster Ford and Charlestown Toyota are Newcastle car dealerships who compete against Trading Post in automotive sales.

Hearings start August 21st.

For complete press release

Source : ACCC

By means of the Electronic System of Public Procurement (SEAP), available from March 2002 on the website address www.e-licitatie.ro, the registered public institutions organize award procedures of the public procurement contracts by electronic means, in which any economic operator may participate. 

Starting January 1, 2007, according to the Government Emergency Ordinance no.34/2006 regarding the award of the public procurement contracts, public work concession contracts and services concession contracts, all state institutions have the obligation to publish the individual service contract forecast, the service procurement notice and the award notices, as well as the invitations to tender related to the requests for quotation within SEAP. So far, the 8,166 contracting authorities registered within the Electronic System of Public Procurement have published 106,134 notices and invitations to tender related to the public procurement procedures. 6,028 of them were published in the Official Journal of the European Union, thus Romania holds the first position in electronic transmission of notices towards OJEU. Full Press release

Source: ANRC, Romania

Mobile coverage in country parks has been further improved with the launch of a new base station at Long Ke today ( 12 August 2007 ), bringing the total number of base stations in country parks to 13. With three more mobile base stations under construction and scheduled to be completed later this year, the mobile coverage in Sai Kung, southern Lantau and Tai Lam Chung will be further enhanced.

"As one of its on-going initiatives, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) continues to facilitate and coordinate with the mobile network operators to establish new mobile base stations in the country parks. Thanks to the effort of the industry, the mobile coverage in the country parks has been significantly improved in recent years. On this particular occasion we would like to thank China Mobile Peoples Telephone Company Limited for taking a lead in the construction of the new base station at Long Ke as well as Smartone 3G Limited for joining the project. Other operators will also soon join the project," a spokesperson of OFTA said today. Full Press release

Source: OFTA, Hong Kong

ANRCTI has allotted new numbering resources to S.C. COSMOTE ROMANIAN MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS S.A., S.C. DIREKT TELECOM S.R.L., S.C. TELECAV S.R.L and to Mr. Alexandru Mihail Parseghian, an authorised natural person, for the provision of telephone services. In addition to the resources previously allotted, Cosmote requested and was granted the right to use 1,000,000 national non-geographic numbers within the 0Z=07 domain. Direkt Telecom, a first time requester of numbering resources, was granted the right to use 410,000 numbers for the provision of fixed telephone services on national level and 1,000 non-geographic national numbers within the 0Z=08 domain for services provided by means of prepaid cards. As well, the company received the individual indicative 1065 for carrier selection. Full Press release Source: ANRC, Romania

La Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones ha logrado avances en temas estratégicos para el desarrollo del sector, como la implantación de la portabilidad numérica, el diseño de un nuevo plan técnico de interconexión y la entrada en vigor del programa El que Llama Paga Nacional e Internacional, expuso el presidente del organismo, Héctor Osuna Jaime.

Al participar en la Novena Reunión de la Comisión de Alto Nivel en Materia de Telecomunicaciones México-Estados Unidos, el titular de la COFETEL habló de los "grandes cambios de la estructura reglamentaria" que ha vivido el recientemente el sector mexicano de las telecomunicaciones. Full Press release

Source: COFETEL, Mexico

The Australian Communications and Media Authority will not proceed with the allocation of a permanent community broadcasting licence that was advertised for the Young licence area in New South Wales.

There was one applicant for the permanent licence, Lambing Flat Community Broadcasting Inc., which already provides a temporary community broadcasting service in the area. The applicant proposed to provide a service for the general community within the licence area. Full Press Release

Source: ACMA, Australia

In an application to the Competition Bureau, CIPPIC has requested a review of the proposed merger between Google and DoubleClick. CIPPIC is concerned that the merger prevents or lessens competition substantially in the online targeted advertising market, as Google-DoubleClick will be able to manipulate the market to raise advertising prices and advertisers and web publishers will have to choose Google-DoubleClick in order to be visible in the e-commerce market.

See CIPPIC webpage

ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações has decided to recommend to PT Comunicações that it presents, by 31 October, an alteration to the ''PT ADSL Network'' offer to include NDSL (Naked DSL). This is a wholesale offer model that allows ADSL to be offered to consumers without the need to contract or maintain a fixed telephone service. The objective of the regulator is for PTC to set out a timeframe for the implementation of the offer so that NDSL can be operational as of 01 February 2008.

Despite setting a fixed period for the market to work, insofar as PTC might implement the NDSL offer in cooperation with the interested parties, the regulator has not ruled out the option of regulatory intervention in the event that the timeframe or the characteristics of the offer are deemed to be unsuitable of incompatible with current regulatory principles. Therefore PTC should keep the regulator informed of relevant developments. Full Press release

Source: ANACOM, Portugal

A Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) disponibilizou ontem, 31 de julho, o edital de licitação para exploração do Serviço Móvel Pessoal (SMP). A licitação permitirá a expedição de autorizações do serviço em todo o território nacional, além de possibilitar às atuais operadoras expandir seus serviços. Ao todo, serão licitados 105 lotes em 28 áreas de prestação.

Os preços mínimos estabelecidos variam de R$ 9,3 mil - lotes 90 e 91, correspondentes à área de prestação 25, que abrange o município de Paranaíba, no Mato Grosso do Sul - a R$ 106,4 milhões - lote 5, correspondente à área de prestação 16, que abrange a Região 1 (veja a tabela ao lado) do Plano Geral de Autorizações (PGA), área de concessão da Telemar. Full Press release

Source: Anatel, Brazil

Argentine telephony cooperative associations Fecotel and Fecosur need not worry about obtaining mobile spectrum to offer services, local telecommunications regulator CNC's head Ceferino Namuncurá told BNamericas.

On July 24, telecommunications ministry SeCom authorized Fecotel and Fecosur to provide mobile telephony. However, the cooperatives now need to request spectrum and there has been some concern about how much spectrum is available and speculation about whether other telcos may compete for that spectrum. Full Press Release

Source: Business News Americas

 

O Conselho Diretor da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) aprovou hoje, em sua 444ª reunião, alterações no Regulamento do Serviço Móvel Pessoal (SMP). O regulamento define as regras gerais para a prestação do serviço da telefonia móvel, estabelece direitos e deveres (dos usuários e das prestadoras) e também trata das formas de provimento do serviço. As principais alterações aprovadas pela Anatel ampliam e consolidam os direitos dos usuários e aumentam os deveres das prestadoras. Entre as inovações decorrentes das regras aprovadas - que entrarão em vigor seis meses após sua publicação no Diário Oficial da União - destacam-se:

Créditos - As operadoras serão obrigadas a oferecer créditos pré-pagos com validade de até 180 dias e revalidar os créditos expirados a partir da inserção de novos créditos (desde que antes do prazo de rescisão do contrato). Full Press Release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

The seventh annual CRTC Telecom Monitoring Report shows that the residential market is experiencing vigorous competition due to the efforts undertaken by cable companies and, to a lesser extent, other providers of local telephone service.

The telecommunications industry continues to demonstrate growth, which is being driven by the adoption of new technologies by Canadians. For instance, Internet and cellular telephone services accounted for 50% of all telecommunications revenues in 2006, a jump from 45% over the previous year. Full Press Release

Source: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canada

ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações has approved the designation of the National Numbering Plan (NNP) ''92'' numbering range for the mobile telephone service. This decision follows a request made by TMN in April. The Portugal Telecom operator sought the allocation of rights to use new blocks of 10,000 numbers for the mobile telephone service, affirming that over 60% of the total resources allocated have already been assigned to active customers - a condition of accepting the request.

Given these circumstances and given the fact that the ''91'', ''93'' and ''96'' numbering ranges have already been exhausted, ANACOM will have to find the reserves necessary in the adjacent ranges ''92'', ''95'', ''97'', ''98'', ''99'' and ''90'' - note that the ''94'' range already incorporates codes for the Mobile trunking service and the mobile maritime service. Full Press Release

Source: ANACOM, Portugal

En la Gaceta Oficial de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela N° 38.730, fue publicada este viernes 20 de julio de 2007, la Providencia Administrativa N° 1039 contentiva de las Condiciones bajo las cuales los Operadores de Servicios de Telefonía Móvil podrán ofrecer la facilidad de Mensajería de Texto, de conformidad con lo establecido en la Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicaciones y demás normas aplicables.

A través de esta Providencia Administrativa la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones establece las condiciones bajo las cuales los operadores de los servicios de telefonía móvil deberán ofrecer la facilidad de mensajería de texto. Full Press Release

Source: CONATEL, Venezuela

"Canada's New Government believes that an independent agency with a mandate to resolve complaints from individuals and small business retail customers is an integral component of a deregulated telecommunications market," said Minister Bernier, Minister of Industry. "We continue to believe that reliance on market forces and competition benefits both Canadian businesses and consumers."

The Telecommunications Policy Review Panel, in its 2006 report, recommended the creation of such a telecommunications consumer agency, noting that it would protect the interests of Canadian consumers in a world where "telecommunications services are becoming more pervasive and increasingly complex for consumers." Full Press Release

Source: Ministry of Industry, Canada

The opening up of network industries, such as telecommunications, transport and utilities industries to competition has benefited users by putting pressure on service providers to keep their costs and prices down. Access to services at affordable prices for the less well off is also improving. However, in some Member States delays in market opening and in removing legal and technical barriers to new entrants have held performance back and competition is developing only slowly in postal services, the railways and the energy sector.

"The EU's policy of opening the telecoms, transport and other network industries to competition has been the right one, since this has made them more competitive putting downward pressure on prices without compromising either the service or its quality. But much more needs to be done to extract the full benefits of competition for the consumers of Europe," Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said. Full Press Release

Source: European Commission

Costa Rican telecoms and IT chamber Camtic believes the highest priority in preparing the telecoms sector for liberalization is the creation of a suitable regulator, Camtic president Alexander Mora told BNamericas.

For the transition to a completely liberalized market to truly benefit consumers the changes that come have to go much further than just turning a state monopoly into a private monopoly, he said.

"The most important issue of the telecoms liberalization is the overall regulation... we need a regulator with teeth and claws," Mora said.

Source: Business News Americas

The Competition Policy Review Panel will review key elements of Canada's competition and investment policies to ensure that they are working effectively, allowing us to encourage even greater foreign.

The Panel's core mandate is to review two key pieces of Canadian legislation, the Competition Act and the Investment Canada Act, including the treatment of state-owned enterprises and the possibility of a national security review clause. The Panel will also examine Canada's sectoral restrictions on foreign direct investment, and the competition and investment regimes of other jurisdictions to assess reciprocity between their rules and Canada's. Separately, the Panel will also assess how Canada's policies may further encourage outward investment. Full Press Release

Source: Minister of Indstry of Canada.

The Nigerian Communications Commission published a Public Notice on its decision to award three (3) Carriers in the 800 MHz spectrum band through an auction process. The decision of the Commission was based on requests by interested Licensed Network Operators that require the spectrum to meet planned roll out of services. Subsequently, an Information Memorandum was issued, in which Bid Applications for the available spectrum slot were invited. 

Source: Nigerian Communication Commission, Nigeria

New Delhi, 13 July, 2007- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been closely monitoring the performance of Service Providers against the Quality of Service (QoS) benchmarks through Quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports (PMRs) received from the service providers. The analysis of the PMRs indicates that some of the service providers are not meeting the quality of service benchmarks in respect of some of the QoS parameters. Apart from monitoring of the Quality of Service through Quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports, TRAI also undertakes objective assessment of the Quality of Service of Basic and Cellular Mobile Services through an independent agency. Based on the analysis of performance monitoring reports of service providers and report submitted by independent agency for the four quarters in the year 2006-07, service providers were informed in June, 2007 by TRAI about shortfall in achieving certain benchmarks of quality of service parameters specified in the regulation on Quality of Service of Basic and Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, 2005 (11 of 2005).

Source: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, India

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Mexico's government IT promotion program, MexicoIT, has helped 10 Mexican companies find US outsourcing clients in under two years, Eduardo Ruiz, president of the country's electronics, telecom and IT association Canieti told BNamericas.

The program, which started in late 2005, has two objectives: to find foreign clients for Mexican IT companies and to attract foreign companies to set up operations in Mexico.

MexicoIT has helped Mexican IT companies establish relationships mainly with US and also some European customers, Ruiz said. The program, supported by the nation's economy ministry, is designed to boost Mexico's standing as an IT provider for other markets and an outsourcing location, taking advantage of the country's proximity to the US.

Canieti has promoted the program and plans to set up new Canieti offices in eight states between now and the end of 2008. The Canieti offices are important points of reference for company's interested in learning about MexicoIT, according to Ruiz.

"We want to include more states in this [program] and our organization has been able to capture their interest. If they want to be a part of it, they have to fulfill three requirements: have local government support; have a specific strategy; and establish alliances between the local government, academic institutions and industry," Ruiz Esparza said.

The states of Jalisco and Nuevo León are currently the main states of interest for foreign IT companies, however, in 2008 Canieti will be placing offices in the northern states of Coahuila, Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua, as well as Aguas Calientes, Querétaro, Zacatecas and Yucatán.

"The Yucatán is close to Florida and can focus on the Miami market," he added.

BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER

Companies that have found clients through the program include Neoris, Softtek and Internacional de Sistemas, according to Ruiz.

"These are the three companies that have benefited most from the program. They all offer outsourcing of IT services and software development," he added.

In order to network and create such business ties across the US-Mexico border and in Europe, MexicoIT has held four events over the past year in Dallas, New York, Boston and Barcelona.

As an example of attracting new investments in Mexico, Ruiz points out that Indian IT firm Infosys Technologies (Nasdaq: INFY) decided to open its first Latin American offices in Monterrey due to the efforts of MexicoIT.

The software firm plans to employ 250-300 people at the new location with a view to increasing that to 900-1,000 within three years.

Ruiz believes the only obstacle that Mexican IT companies might face in the future is the limited source of certified engineers. As a remedy, both MexicoIT and the local governments are engaged in programs promoting IT studies and university-industry alliances.

Source: Business News Americas

The Peruvian government has given the public from July 2 until Oct 31 to freely choose a long distance operator to make domestic and international long distance calls through direct dialing, local news service Agencia Andina reported.

Though telecoms legislation has always allowed customers to freely choose their operator and set up direct dialing using the 0 prefix for domestic long distance and 00 for international calls, most long distance operators have offered their services through a four-digit dialing code or calling cards.

Incumbent Telefónica del Perú (TdP) has been the main operator offering direct dialing through the 0 and 00 prefixes. For that reason, most of the general public believed that direct dialing was only possible through TdP.

The four-month period will include an educational program informing consumers about their right to set up direct dialing contracts with any of the 15 existing long distance companies operating in the country.

Once the period ends, anyone who has not set up a direct calling contract will only be able to make long distance calls using four-digit prefixes provided by the operator or calling cards.

According to local telephony regulator Osiptel, the measure will enable the entry of new operators into the market. Clients that set up direct dialing contracts before October 31 will be allowed to change operator every two-months if they want.

According to Liliana Ruiz, a former director of Osiptel and current president of telecoms consultancy Alterna Perú, this measure is aimed at promoting competition in the long distance telephony segment.

"I think it is very important the regulator has taken charge of the selection process so the user receives the appropriate information," Ruiz told BNamericas.

Ruiz said that among operators offering four-digit prefix and calling card dialing include Impsat Perú, Sitel, Movistar, Gamacom, TdP, Infoductos y Telecomunicaciones del Perú, Nextel, Americatel, Convergia, Telmex (NYSE: TMX), IDT, LD Telecom, Perusat and LA&C Sistemas.

Source: Business News Americas

Beginning 5 July, a new, simpler and faster mobile number portability process will be available in the département of Réunion and the Overseas community of Mayotte. This new mobile number maintenance system lets users port their mobile number within a maximum of 10 days by contacting only their new operator.

After the introduction of equivalent systems in the Antilles-Guyana area in April 2006 and in Metropolitan France in May, the opening of this new system concludes the modernisation process for mobile number portability mechanisms for the entire national territory begun in 2005.

Now, all the systems put in place in these various areas have to be stabilised by the end of 2007 so that a review phase can be begun in 2008.

Number portability allows customers to switch operators while keeping their old phone number. This function is a key element in allowing consumers to fully benefit from competition. It must be quick and simple to implement if consumers are to effectively be able to exercise their rights.

Operators in the Réunion-Mayotte area worked to create a process comparable to that which was launched in Metropolitan France on 21 May with the development of an interactive voice server (SVI) which informs users of the expiry date of any minimum commitment periods and of the operators identity number (RIO), which allows for the secure identification of the ported mobile number.

The main characteristics of this new mobile number portability process are as follows:

• A single contact for customers. The new operator, chosen by the customer, takes charge of all necessary steps:
  • taking out the new contract
  • porting the mobile number concerned
  • cancelling the contract with the old operator
• A maximum period of ten days to cancel the old contract, and effect number portability: the requested mobile number porting and contract termination are concomitant and must be done within a maximum of ten days, unless otherwise requested by the customer. In practice, the number will be ported within six business days (from Monday to Friday) as requested by the customer.

Beginning 5 July, customers wishing to keep their mobile telephone number when changing operator no longer have to contact their operator to request contract termination even if their contract requires that they do so or if it requires that they respect certain forms (i.e. registered mail) or specific deadlines (termination notice greater than ten days, for example). On the other hand, in the case of simple termination, i.e. without number portability, the customer contacts the operator he wishes to leave and confirms the request according to the forms and within the deadlines required by the contract.

ARCEP emphasises that if the customer is still "committed" to the operator he or she wishes to leave by contractual requirements regarding a minimum contract period; these remain completely valid and may be opposed to the customer in the case of termination of portability. The operator may thus invoice amounts due under these clauses; for example, monthly subscription payments remaining due until the end of the contract term. Therefore, ARCEP invites customers to check whether they are subject to such terms of commitment before planning to switch operator by contacting the operator’s voice server information service (cf. useful numbers) free of charge.

This one-stop mobile number portability launch phase is a modernisation and stabilisation phase of the systems put in place in the various areas which will have to be completed by the end of 2007. This launch phase will be followed in 2008 by a review phase in order to analyse the changes made by the new portability process and to improve them if required for the consumer’s benefit.

Source: ARCEP, France

The Commission launches today a public consultation to help strengthen the global position of Europe's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industries by ensuring access to global markets. The consultation will run until 17 September 2007 and is open to all stakeholders, including industries, research community and consumer organisations. The Commission seeks to capture stakeholder views on market access and on regulatory issues so as to refine its EU strategy for international cooperation on ICT.

With the public consultation launched today, the Commission aims to formulate a more ambitious, targeted international EU strategy for ICT that explores new markets for EU industries, improves the competitiveness of Europe's ICT industry in global markets and promotes EU interests worldwide. Full press release

Source: European Commission

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The Federal Network Agency has today announced three decisions on charges for the telecommunications sector. All three approvals relate to wholesale products which Deutsche Telekom AG (DT AG) offers its competitors based on regulatory obligations.

Newly approved as of 1 July 2007 were the one-off charges that competitors will have to pay to DT AG when renting or returning a local loop (TAL). While the monthly charges to be paid for the surrender of the local loop, which were last approved on 30 March 2007, cover primarily the investments required for items such as material and laying the "last mile", the one-off charges approved now relate predominantly to the administrative processing of the order and the changeover measures required at DT AG's technical facilities, which have to be carried out by DT AG when a TAL is provided to competitors or cancelled by them.

For the most frequent version (a simple takeover of a copper wire pair without any change-over required at the end customer's premises), DT AG will in future be able to demand a provisioning charge of 36.19 Euros. The cancellation charges that competitors will have to pay to DT AG when returning the TAL will now be 5.21 Euros if the end customer returns to DT AG at the same time or changes over to another competitor. If the TAL is returned without a simultaneous switch to DT AG itself or another competitor, the competitor will have to pay a cancellation charge of 20.93 Euros.

Another set of new charges approved as of 1 July 2007 applies to provisioning and cancellation as well as the monthly charge for joint access to the local loop, otherwise known as "line sharing". In the case of line sharing the TAL is divided by spectrum into a lower and a higher frequency range. This enables DT AG to continue to use the lower spectrum for voice transmission while the higher spectrum can be used by a competitor for data transmission (usually for high-speed internet access based on DSL technology).

From 1 July 2007 a monthly charge of 1.91 Euros has been set for granting access to the high-bit-rate part of the TAL. The charge for the most common provisioning model, a new connection without work at the cable distributor or the end customer's premises, will be 60.82 Euros.

The third set of charges that received new approval were the one-off provisioning charges and the charges for the surrender of leased lines, which competitors will need to complete their own networks, the so-called "carrier fixed connections". Where lower charges have been set for these, such reductions had been applied for by DT AG itself. On the other hand an increase in tariffs was denied.

The three decisions did not take into account the result of the collective agreement reached between DT AG and the service workers union ver.di on 20 June 2007 regarding organisational changes and a reduction of income based on the transitional agreements between the parties of the collective agreement and/or any conflicting effects.

The charges approved in connection with the local loop and line sharing were approved until the end of June 2008, the charges for leased lines until the end of March 2008.

Source: Bundesnetzagentur, Germany

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Kurth: "Thoroughly examine new choices and quickly seize opportunities for savings during international roaming."

In Germany the Federal Network Agency is responsible for checking that the roaming regulation passed by the EU Parliament and the EU Council is implemented by companies for the benefit of their customers. The roaming regulation was today published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force tomorrow (Saturday). The regulation grants every roaming customer - be it a pre-paid or post-paid contract - the right to affordable tariffs.

The President of the Federal Network Agency, Matthias Kurth, appealed to both mobile phone companies and consumers to implement the new rules quickly and to make use of the benefits they offer. "After lengthy discussions the consumer now has the opportunity to efficiently limit his international roaming costs. What is important is to get detailed information and to critically review any new offers. Anyone acting quickly now can change over sooner and will therefore be able to save more. The rules are complex, so educating mobile phone customers about the advantages and disadvantages of the new choices is vitally important," Kurth said today in Bonn.

The regulation provides a price cap for retail customers ("Eurotariff"). In addition there will be price limits at wholesale level, affecting the prices that operators charges one another. The successively decreasing price caps were set as follows:

Maximum limit of Eurotariff for calls made abroad:

• Summer 2007 = 49 Cents
• Summer 2008 = 46 Cents
• Summer 2009 = 43 Cents

Maximum limit of Eurotariff for calls received abroad:

• Summer 2007 = 24 Cents
• Summer 2008 = 22 Cents
• Summer 2009 = 19 Cents

Maximum limit at wholesale level:

• Summer 2007 = 30 Cents
• Summer 2008 = 28 Cents
• Summer 2009 = 26 Cents

Tariff per minute excluding VAT.

The regulation will be transposed in several steps. Initially each customer will be informed individually and transparently by his provider - network operator or service provider - about the new Eurotariff and will be offered a tariff within one month, i.e. by 30 July 2007. The customer then has two months to decide on the Eurotariff. Having received the order, the provider will switch the customer over to this new tariff within one month. This change-over should be smooth and trouble-free. Any customers who have not reacted will be changed over automatically at the end of the two-month decision period. From October 2007 all customers should then benefit from the Eurotariff, thus having to pay no more than 0.49 Euros (excluding VAT) for originating calls and 0.24 Euros (excluding VAT) for terminating calls.

Customers who had already made a deliberate choice of a specific roaming tariff by their provider before 30 June 2007 can also select the Eurotariff, but must expressly inform their provider of that wish, i.e. their tariff will not be changed over automatically. These customers should be informed by their provider that they have a specific tariff, allowing them to deliberately opt for the Eurotariff, should this be cheaper for them.

New customers should be informed about the Eurotariff when signing their contract. Where the Eurotariff is not available yet, new customers should be treated like old customers, being provided with information and having their tariff changed over later.

The providers are furthermore obliged to supply their customers with transparent information. From 30 September 2007 all customers crossing a border will receive a message about the maximum tariff for phone calls. Furthermore providers must set up a free hotline where customers can obtain additional information.

"We will monitor the providers' compliance with these information, changeover and transparency requirements vis-à-vis their customers and take action in case of any violations," said president Kurth in conclusion.

Source: Bundesnetzagentur, Germany

 

Strategic review process: BCE signs non-disclosure and standstill agreement with TELUS Corporation to explore possibility of a business combination

The Strategic Oversight Committee of the Board of Directors of BCE Inc. (TSX/NYSE: BCE) today
announced that TELUS Corporation has entered into discussions to explore the
possibility of a business combination with the Company. BCE and TELUS have
entered into a mutual non-disclosure and standstill agreement on a
non-exclusive basis.

The Company had previously announced its intention to review all
strategic alternatives with a view to further enhance shareholder value. The
review is currently expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2007.
No assurances can be provided that any offer, if made, by any entity or
group, now formed or to be formed in the future, will be accepted by the Board
of Directors or that this review of alternatives will result in any specific
action being taken by the Company.

BCE is Canada's largest communications company, providing the most
comprehensive and innovative suite of communication services to residential
and business customers in Canada. Under the Bell brand, the Company's services
include local, long distance and wireless phone services, high-speed and
wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, information and
communications technology services (or value-added services) and
direct-to-home satellite and VDSL television services. Other BCE holdings
include Telesat Canada, a pioneer and world leader in satellite operations and
systems management, and an interest in CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier media
company. BCE shares are listed in Canada and the United States.

Source: BCE

Celtel International announced on 6 June 2007, that it is expanding its One Network service to more than 160 million people in six African countries, as part of its roll-out plan targeting the entire African continent.

In September 2006, Celtel was the first mobile operator worldwide to offer its customers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda the opportunity to move freely across geographical borders without roaming call surcharges. Since, Celtel offers its customers the same services abroad that they could access in their home country such as airtime transfer from friends, voicemail and customer service in their local languages.

The One Network service is now available in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. The extension of the service from East Africa into Central Africa, means post- and pre-paid Celtel subscribers within the six countries, will be able to make calls at local rates, receive incoming calls free of charge and top-up their pre-paid phones with locally bought airtime cards.

Source: Celtel International, 6 June 2007

The European Commission (EC) has stated that the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) may force PTC, the Era and Heyah mobile networks operator, to allow Tele2 Polska to offer services as an MVNO, but only after the UKE has carried out an analysis of the initiating mobile calls market. The alternative operator asked the regulator to come up with the wholesale prices that the PTC would charge Tele2 for the use of the infrastructure, as the price proposed by the former in negotiations between the companies was not satisfactory. Surprisingly, the price suggested by the telecoms market watchdog was higher than that negotiated by the companies. The EC also said that the UKE should first carry out the relevant market analysis in order to discover if there is competition in that market. If not, argues the EC, the regulator is entitled to impose prices. Therefore, the agreement on launching an MVNO by Tele2 will be postponed but the operator declares that it is still interested in entering the mobile market. The UKE emphasises that the EC statement does not have any influence on Tele2’s actions, as the latter may reach an agreement with another mobile operator or, alternatively, it might wait for the regulator to comply with the Commission’s orders. Source: Business Portal for Poland

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The Commerce Commission has reaffirmed its current timetable to develop regulated unbundled local loop and co-location services.  On Tuesday (5 June) Telecom requested a delay in the timeframe to provide its first standard terms proposals due on 12 June.  After considering Telecom’s request, the Commission has decided to stick to the timeframe that it notified to Telecom on 3 April. 

 

“While I understand Telecom’s position, I am concerned by the need to ensure the integrity of the process for all parties and prompt delivery to the market of these key services that will promote competition in telecommunication markets.”  said Douglas Webb, Telecommunications Commissioner.

 

The dates for the delivery of the standard terms proposals were set by the Commission after holding Scoping Workshops with Telecom and other interested parties.  At those workshops, Telecom and the other parties gave their views on the timeframes which were considered when the due dates were set to deliver the proposals.

 

Source: Commerce Commission of New Zealand

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Jamaica's government has awarded mobile startup Solutrea Jamaica a mobile license effective June 1, local newspaper The Jamaica Gleaner quoted the minister of commerce, science and technology Phillip Paulwell as saying.

The government granted the license after the company carried out a process of due diligence with the country's ministry of finance and planning. The company will pay J$500mn (US$7.33mn) for the license.

According to the report, the company was one of two that had approached the government for a license. Solutrea will use CDMA2000 1x technology, according to the website of the CDMA Development Group.

Jamaica currently has three mobile operators, Digicel, Cable & Wireless Jamaica and MiPhone.

Source: Business News Americas

The Conseil de la concurrence orders France Télécom to end its eviction practices on the market of engineering, consultancy and checking of private telephone installations

Following a referral of November 2006 by the company Solutel, the Conseil de la concurrence has handed down a decision, which sets out the interim measures applicable to France Télécom.

Offering services of engineering, consultancy and checking of telephone installations implemented by property developers in the regions of Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire since 2004, Solutel accused France Télécom of implementing against the company, disparagement practices, having created a price barrier aimed at preventing the expansion of the company on this market and for exerting pressure and retaliation measures against its customers. Solutel also requested interim measures.

The sectors of engineering, consultancy and checking of private telephone installations

The code for town planning holds that promoters or property developers are bound to create, at their expense, under the control of the authority which issues planning permissions, the necessary infrastructures allowing the connection of their building or estate to gas, electricity and telecommunications network and to ensure the “connection of pieces of equipment, adequate for the operation on the existing public equipment attached to the land” according to the respect of current standards. Solutel offers its services on the market of engineering, consultancy and technical checking of private telephone installations for private individuals, where it constitutes France Télécom's only competitor to date.

The denounced practices

Elements of the file show that the services of France Télécom's regional unit of Brittany exerted pressure
directly on Solutel's customers in order to convince them to resort to the services of this unit.
They also show that Solutel was subjected to repeated disparagement practices by the regional unit's services, which challenged, in front of its customers, Solutel's capacity to provide reliable services. The regional unit of Brittany applied to Solutel a high level of prices for determining “connection points” (location where the telephone installation built by the promoter of the estate or the building is connected to the public network), while the unit did not charge its own customers for it and the price was not applied to the rest of the national territory.

In certain cases, France Télécom required Solutel's customers the payment of services that Solutel had already provided, forcing Solutel to pay France Télécom's estimate. Otherwise France Télécom would refuse the telephone connection.

Moreover, significant delays were observed in the final connection to the telephone network of residents of estates or buildings, where Solutel had intervened.

These practices aimed at evicting or deterring any competitor from entering the market, justify the interim measures

The Conseil considered that the practices were likely to constitute an abuse of the monopoly position held by France Télécom, as an operator responsible for universal service, on the market for connection. The Conseil also considered that the price charged for determining the location of the “connection point” was applied in a discriminatory way.

According to the Conseil de la concurrence, the practices may deter promoters, property developers or surveyor agencies from resorting to Solutel. The Conseil noted that some of them had already informed Solutel of their intention to stop their collaboration should the encountered problems persist.
Noticing that there is a serious risk that Solutel disappears, as it is currently the only competitor of France Télécom and represents a new entrant on the market concerned, and furthermore that the practices hinder the development of all competition, to the detriment of the consumer, the Conseil ordered France Télécom to:

· stop any disparagement practice towards the company Solutel
· suspend, on a interim basis, the application of the price for providing the location of the connection point.
· respond to communication requests concerning the connection point and to connect subscribers as rapidly as possible
· stop any practice consisting in requiring from Solutel's customers or residents of sites where Solutel intervened, the payment of services already carried out by the company.

Unofficial document, for media use only, which does not bind the Conseil de la concurrence.

Source: Conseil de la concurrence

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After long negotiations for more than six months with the three mobile operators in Egypt, and after resorting to NTRA in search for a decisive and fair solution for the problem of national roaming, the efforts were finally realized and NTRA successfully managed to devise a fair commercial agreement that works for the benefit of all the stakeholders and that is in alignment with the fair competition concept sought after by the NTRA.

The signing of the agreement and the launch of the national roaming service has been finally realized on Thursday 7/6/2007, in the NTRA premises in the Smart Village.

According to this agreement the two operating mobile operators are required to supply the national roaming service to the third operator in the areas that are not covered by its network. As well as the responsibility of the third operator to do exactly the same for the other two companies in areas which their networks are not covered.
The national roaming agreement has been already included in the three operators’ licenses, which was one of the reasons behind the increase to almost the double of the expected value of the third license.

The importance of such and agreement is basically because it manages to solve a huge dilemma, as it is increasingly hard to find a middle ground agreement that works for the benefit of both the consumer as well as service provider. Therefore this agreement serves in covering a wider geographical area covered by the networks of the companies, without interfering with the quality of service, which on another hand generates higher profits for the service providers.

Source: NTRA, Egypt

Domestic home network related industry is actively going global, since domestic home network is not very vitalized owing to the stagnation in domestic construction industry for years, and also new regulations, such as price ceilings for first-sale homes and opening the price for the public, which will start to take effect from September.

Samsung Electronics recently started to boost its oversea marketing by establishing home network office in Kazakhstan, placing CIS in the center. Especially, the company sent its core human resources such as Director Kim Jin-An to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan trying to contact both governments and Kazakh Telecom and Uzbek Telecom.

Recently, in CIS countries, such as Kazakhstan, there is overflow of oil money. As the capital comes into construction industry, the rear industry home network is also growing," said a Samsung Electronics Official.

Having taken up 10% of entire sales revenue last year, Hyundai Telecommunication Co., Ltd (CEO Lee Nae-Heun) is also trying to penetrate global market with major domestic construction companies such as WOOLIM CONSTRUCTION.

Hyundai Telecommunication completed the home network construction for 700 households of Woolim Apple Town in Kazakhstan early this year, and succeeded to sell all households. The company is strengthening the local marketing in order to close a home network construction deal on the rest 2,300 households.

TEC WIZ HOME (CEO Choi Nak-Hoon) is supplying its own home network system to 120 households of studio apartment in New Zealand being constructed by Daeju Construction. The company is also working on a contract in luxury apartments and hotels in New York, Philippines and Singapore.

Commax (President and CEO Byun Bong-Duk) is providing its home network system to the world's tallest tower, 'the Burj Dubai', and extending its target to emerging countries in Arab as well as China and India. It is making the half of its entire sales abroad.

Meanwhile, the Korea Home Network Industry Association (President Nam Joong-Soo, CEO of KT Corp) sent a large IT mission consisting of twelve domestic home network companies, such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for 6 days from 14th. Those companies had export consulting conference as well as exhibition for relevant products and solution.

Source: The Electronic Times, Korea

New arrangements for accessing information in the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) commenced today with the introduction of a scheme establishing a ‘gatekeeper’ role for the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the registration of a revised industry code.

‘These new arrangements play a very important role in protecting the privacy of customer details by ensuring that IPND data is only used for approved purposes,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman.

Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Amendment (Integrated Public Number Database) Act 2006 (the Act) was proclaimed by the Governor-General on 10 May 2007 and will come into effect on 15 May 2007. The Telecommunications Integrated Public Number Database Scheme 2007 (the IPND Scheme) and associated legislative instruments will also commence on this day.

In addition, ACMA has registered the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) Industry Code ACIF C555:2007 (the IPND Code) developed by the Communications Alliance.

The IPND Scheme establishes ACMA’s role in granting authorisations to use and disclose information from the IPND in connection with the publication and maintenance of a public number directory or for conducting research of a kind specified by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

The IPND Code aligns industry practices with the requirements of the Act and the IPND Scheme. It establishes processes for data providers, data users and the IPND Manager that promote the integrity of IPND data.

In an acknowledgment of the importance of the IPND Code, Chris Chapman said: ‘This code is a valuable complement to the new IPND Scheme. I would like to acknowledge the significant work done by Communications Alliance over an extended period to have the IPND Code ready for registration in time for proclamation of the Act.’

‘Communications Alliance has worked hard to develop a code that will protect the interests of data providers and data users, and importantly, protect the integrity of customer information. To achieve this we needed a code that supports the new requirements of the Act and the IPND Scheme, and we are confident that we have achieved that end,’ said Communications Alliance CEO Anne Hurley.

The IPND Scheme is available on the ACMA website and the IPND Code can be found at the Communications Alliance website.

Source: ACMA, Australia

Today the Commission has taken a Decision endorsing the Polish telecom regulator's amended proposal concerning the market for access to fixed telephony services. On 13 March 2007, the Commission told the Polish regulator UKE that broadband access services should not be included in the definition of the market. The Commission also suggested to UKE to enforce without delay regulation at wholesale level in order to improve competition in the Polish broadband market. The UKE's modified definition now excludes all retail broadband services. (…)

 

Source: Union European.

The National Regulatory Authority for Communications and Information Technology (ANRCTI) initiates the process of reviewing the market of access to the public fixed telephone networks in view of calls origination, termination and transit, identified as specific relevant market by end-2002. As part of the analysis, ANRCTI will conduct a series of market studies among the providers of electronic communications networks and/or services in order to obtain complete and correct information, accurately reflecting the reality of the Romanian electronic communications market.

 

To this end, ANRCTI launches the first of this series of studies that are necessary in the process of re-assessing the competitive environment at the level of services of call origination at fixed locations, services of call termination at fixed locations and services for transit through the public telephone networks. The study is based on a questionnaire which was sent directly to the providers of fixed telephone networks, to the providers of telephony services, as well as to the providers of dial-up Internet access services, who deploy their activity, both in demand and in request, in the market segment of services of call termination at fixed locations.

 

The main objectives of the questionnaire envisage the gathering of a set of quantitative and qualitative information which would allow ANRCTI to analyse the characteristics of the demand and offer of interconnection services, in view of call termination at fixed locations in the Romanian public telephone networks. The results of the study will provide a set of conclusions regarding the competitive situation in the analysed segment of the market and, on such basis, the Authority will issue the appropriate regulatory decisions regarding this type of services.     

 

ANRCTI transmitted the questionnaire to 115 providers of electronic communications networks and/or services. The questionnaire included queries regarding the services of call termination at fixed locations (for publicly available telephone services, as well as for dial-up, ISDN and fax services) provided and, respectively, acquired by other providers in view of selling publicly available telephone services. As well, the questionnaire referred to the types of fixed telephony services provided in the retail markets.

 

Should the study reveal competition-related issues, ANRCTI will have the right to intervene by imposing certain obligations on the companies which, due to their control over the access to the subscribers of telephony services provided at fixed locations and to their significant power on the market, might abuse in their relation with other providers. According to the European norms and practices, such obligations – transparency, non-discrimination, accounting separation, cost-orientation of tariffs and/or provision of network access – are meant to eliminate the obstacles that could hinder the establishment of a normal competitive environment and may be imposed in accordance with articles 9-13 of the Government Ordinance no.34/2002 regarding the access to public electronic communications networks and to their associated infrastructure, as well as to their interconnection, approved, with amendments and completions, by Law no.527/2002, with the subsequent amendments and completions.

 

Source: ANRC, Romania

In the dispute about Germany's new telecom law, the Commission sent today a reasoned opinion, the second stage of infringement proceedings. So far, Germany failed to remove new provisions in German law that could grant Deutsche Telekom a 'regulatory holiday' in spite of its dominant position in the broadband market. The Commission's reasoned opinion is the last step before referring the case to the European Court of Justice. Germany will only have one month to reply. The infringement procedure launched at the end of February (see IP/07/237) concerns amendments to the German telecoms law that entered into force that month. These amendments could lead to an effective exemption of Deutsche Telekom AG’s fast internet access network (VDSL) from competition. Such ‘regulatory holidays’ would be granted without consulting the Commission and regulatory authorities in other Member States, as is mandatory under EU telecom rules to ensure transparency and a better functioning internal market. Germany adopted the rules in question despite the Commission's early warnings that they were incompatible with EU rules. When launching the infringement proceedings the Commission reiterated its well-known view that the new German law jeopardises the competitive position of Deutsche Telekom's existing competitors and makes it much harder for new competitors to enter German markets. The Commission emphasised that the new provisions also attempt to limit the discretion granted to the German telecoms regulator (the 'Bundesnetzagentur') under EU rules which allows it to decide, on the basis of an in-depth market analysis, whether or not to allow competitors access the new VDSL-network currently being built by Deutsche Telekom. Germany replied to this letter only after the Commission ultimately agreed to prolong the deadline given to Germany by a further 15 days. However, Germany was still not willing to amend the telecoms law to take account of the Commission's concerns but continues to defend the controversial provisions. In today's reasoned opinion, the Commission rebuts Germany's arguments and exposes them as unfounded. The Commission has again chosen a shortened deadline for Germany to reply given the urgency of the matter, as the new law creates a lot of uncertainty in the market and could deter competition. If Germany does not amend the law to accommodate the Commission's concerns, the case could be referred to the Court in June. Further information on infringement proceedings in the telecom sector: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/implementation_enforcement/

The Telecommunications Authority ("TA") today (27 April 2007) announced the plan to release spectrum through open auction to enable the provision of Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) services in Hong Kong from November 2008.

The necessary subsidiary legislation will be tabled in the Legislative Council to impose spectrum utilisation fee on the use of the relevant spectrum and to prescribe the method of determining the spectrum utilisation fee by auction. The auction is expected to be held in the last quarter of 2007 after which the TA will grant one licence for use of the spectrum.

The CDMA2000 standard is one of the main mobile communications standards in the world that is capable of providing high-speed data services with data rates comparable to the existing 3G services available in Hong Kong.

"At present, mobile services based on the CDMA2000 standard are provided in 85 economies, including the US, Korea, Japan and the Mainland. Altogether, there are 325 million CDMA2000 subscribers worldwide. In the Mainland, there are over 30 million CDMA2000 subscribers. The licensing of a new mobile service using the CDMA2000 standard will contribute to the harmonization of popular mobile services with the Mainland as well as other parts of the world, thereby strengthening Hong Kong's strategic position as a world city and the gateway between the Mainland and the world," a spokesperson of the Office of the Telecommunications Authority ("OFTA") said.

"Any interested party, including incumbent fixed/mobile carriers, is welcome to bid for the spectrum. Details of the auction rules, including the reserve price, will be released nearer to the time of the auction," continued the spokesperson.

This will be the second spectrum auction held by the Government, following the first one held in 2001 for the deployment of spectrum in the 1.9 - 2.2 GHz band for the provision of the third-generation mobile services.

Source: OFTA, Hong Kong

Italy’s Communications Ministry has revealed its proposals for strengthening the country’s telecoms regulator, Agcom, to allow it to oversee the ‘functional separation’ of Telecom Italia’s fixed line retail and networks businesses. The government is keen to push ahead with changes to Telecom Italia’s structure to ensure that the bulk of the country’s wireline infrastructure remains under national ownership; a number of foreign firms are interested in acquiring a controlling stake in Telecom Italia which is being offloaded by the Pirelli group. The new fixed line networks unit will incorporate all of Telecom Italia’s local loop connections plus ‘all the elements necessary to provide broadband access,’ the Ministry said in a statement. The new legislation is being added to an existing bill on liberalisation and is expected to be in force by the fourth quarter of this year, Dow Jones reports.

Source: Telegeography

Bolivia's government took a big step toward the takeover of the country's largest telecommunications company on Monday, ordering the transfer of 47% of Entel stock from a public pension fund to state control, local and international press reported.

The Entel stock transferred Monday had belonged to a Bolivian public pension fund administered by Zurich Financial Services and Previsión AFP, a subsidiary of the Spanish bank BBVA.

President Evo Morales has set a May 1 deadline for the nationalization of Entel, Bolivia's former state telephone company, which was privatized in 1995. Telecom Italia (NYSE: TI) holds a controlling 50% stake in the company, while individual private investors own the remaining 3%.

Source: Business News Americas

The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) launched on 23 April the formal selection process for the award of a mobile telecommunications license to a new entrant in the State of Qatar. The new licensee will compete with Qatar Telecom QSC (Qtel). The competitive selection process to own and operate a mobile telecommunications network and provide telecommunications services begins with a pre-qualification phase. During this phase, interested applicants will be required to satisfy specific criteria and procedures to qualify for selection. Those who pre-qualify may progress to the formal application phase. The ‘Mobile Pre-qualification Requirements and Procedures’ reference document is available at www.ict.gov.qa/en/PolicyRegulation.aspx. The mobile pre-qualification period expires 27 May 2007. ictQATAR Secretary General Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber said, “We recently concluded an initial consultation period on the licensing process. We were delighted with the response from companies from around the world – numerous operators expressed interest in business opportunities here.” Within the next few months, ictQATAR will launch a separate process to award a license to own and operate a fixed telecommunications network and provide public fixed telecommunications services in competition with Qtel. In parallel, ictQATAR will award fixed and mobile licenses to Qtel. All licenses are expected to be awarded by the end of 2007. “In every step of the telecom liberalization process, ictQATAR will be committed to transparency and fairness,” said Dr. Hessa. ictQATAR is today starting a public consultation on the proposed regulations and policies for opening Qatar’s telecommunications sector. Interested parties are invited to express views and comment on the proposed policies by responding to the questions and views in the ‘Consultation Document’. The deadline for submitting responses to the Consultation Document is 27 May 2007. All relevant documents and reference materials are available on ictQATAR's website at www.ict.gov.qa “The experience of nations throughout the world has shown that market forces lower rates, improve the quality of service, drive innovation, and spur investment,” Dr. Hessa said. “We look forward to bringing these benefits home to Qatar.” Source: ICT Qatar, See http://www.ict.gov.qa/en/News/licensereg.aspx

Reuters reports that Germany's telecoms regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), plans to auction a second lot of UMTS concessions in early 2008 that would allow operators to offer more services than before. The first sale in 2000 drew criticism from cellcos because the amount of spectrum fell below what they needed to offer full voice, video and data services to wireless devices anywhere in the world. ‘We will not put down any conditions saying you may offer this or that service or technology. It will be more open,’ Matthias Kurth, head of the BNetzA said in an interview. ‘Operators will also be allowed to deal in frequencies, meaning they can swap with others,’ he added. Six operatorss spent EUR51 bullion (USD66 billion) in 2000 on domestic 3G licences, but only four actually deployed services. Mobilcom returned its spectrum, and Quam, the brand name for a Telefónica-Sonera joint venture, Group 3G, halted its business in Germany in 2002.

Following preliminary meetings with interested parties, the regulator has concluded that there is more demand than frequencies available, which according to German law means an auction would have to be held. Kurth, however, does not expect prices to skyrocket like they did in 2000. ‘We have seen that those who spent billions in the end did not get a foot in the door... and I can not imagine that banks will be approving generous credit lines this time around.’ Willingness to invest in new costly licences may be limited anyway, as operators in Europe are not only struggling with falling prices in a fiercely competitive mobile market but are under pressure from the European Union to cut roaming charges. Nonetheless, Germany's four mobile network operators, Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile, Vodafone, KPN’s E-Plus and Telefónica's O2 are all expected to bid, and it is anticipated that others will join the auction. With a population of 82 million, Germany is Europe's biggest telecommunications market.

Source: Telegeography

Brazil's telecom regulator Anatel has warned that América Móvil (NYSE: AMX) could face local regulatory obstacles if its pursues its plans to buy an indirect stake in Telecom Italia (NYSE: TI), the owner of Brazil's second largest mobile operator TIM (NYSE: TSU), newspaper Valor Econômico reported.

Anatel board member Jose Leite Pereira was quoted as saying the same would go for Spain's Telefónica (NYSE: TEF) if it were to decide to seek a stake in Telecom Italia.

Almost two weeks ago América Móvil made a bid together with US telco AT&T (NYSE: T) for 33% each of Italian holding company Olimpia, which has an 18% controlling share of Telecom Italia.

AT&T announced on Monday it had withdrawn its bid, fuelling speculation that the Spanish giant might enter the race. International media reported that América Móvil was reconsidering its alternatives.

"There are regulatory and anti-competition obstacles if a deal is closed between Pirelli and either of these two interested parties," Pereira said.

"The main problem is the overlap of mobile telephone [concession] licenses."

Telefónica has a joint venture with Portugal Telecom (NYSE: PT) in Vivo (NYSE: VIV), Brazil's leading mobile phone company that ended February with a 28.6% market share, according to Anatel. América Móvil controls Claro, Brazil's third largest mobile operator, which had a 24% market share at end-February.

According to Brazilian telecom regulations, the same operator cannot control two competing mobile phone companies in the same concession area.

Brazil's antitrust agency Cade would also need to assess the repercussions of the deal on the local market, which could leave Claro and TIM with almost a 50% share or Vivo and TIM with more than 50%.

Telecoms analyst Thomas Abreu of US consultancy Pyramid Research agrees that América Móvil's bid is by no means guaranteed to succeed.

Notwithstanding the regulatory concerns, an acquisition of TIM by América Móvil's Claro or Telefónica's Vivo would lead to a very strong market share in Brazil's most important market São Paulo, where there are three main players, Abreu said.

In some ways, this would be similar to América Móvil's position in Mexico, where it holds around 70% of the market, he said. "This [situation in São Paulo] would be cause for concern," he said.

But everything still depends on whether a potential buyer can acquire the stake in Telecom Italia, the analyst noted. The Italian government has been desperately lobbying for an Italian suitor to buy Olimpia's stake in Telecom Italia.

Source: Business News Americas

China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII) has issued an International Communications Facilities Service Licence to China Tietong, one of the People’s Republic’s smaller fixed line operators. China Tietong becomes the fifth operator to have been awarded such a concession: the others are China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Netcom. Local media report that MII gave China Tietong the licence to make up for the unequal competition it has been facing with in recent years. Previously, China Tietong was only licensed to provide the public with basic telecom services and value-added telecom services.

China Tietong says it has connected ten Chinese port cities with Hong Kong, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Korea and Vietnam through trans-border cables, to meet the demands of international railway operators. The company says that the new licence will help it reduce the operation costs for international services.

Source: Telegeography

�Ÿ Foreign equity limitation

Regarding limitations on shareholding by foreigners in facilities-based telecommunications service providers, Korea and the U.S. have agreed on maintaining the current 49% ceiling in direct investments, and allowing up to 100% in indirect investments by establishing a legal entity in Korea.

The Ministry of Information and Communication will conduct a public interest test on indirect investments, which will be permitted upon confirmation that the investment does not hinder national security. Relevant systems will be improved within two years after the date of entry of the agreement. However, KT and SKT are exceptions to this commitment, and thus investment limitation remains at 49%.

The U.S. limits foreign direct investment from telecommunications operators with radio stations to 20%, while indirect investment by establishing a legal entity in the U.S. is allowed up to 100%, once the investment passes the public interest test.

As a result of the KORUS FTA, both countries now have the same limitations on indirect investment. As for direct investment, the ceiling is 49% in Korea, compared to 20% in the U.S. for suppliers of telecommunications service with radio stations. However, balance has been achieved by making KT and SK Telecom exceptions in allowing up to 100% in indirect investment by foreigners.

�Ÿ Technical standard policies, IPTV, and convergence services

The existing framework for policies on technical standards will continue to be in place.
Initially, the U.S. requested that service providers be given flexibility in the choice of technology. Although Korea recognizes the need for flexibility, it also emphasized the need for policies on technical standards for public policy objectives. In the end, both sides came to acknowledge the government�fs authority to promote such policies, whilst agreeing to ensure a transparent and rational standard setting process, e.g., by giving various opportunities to foreign operators to convey their opinion on the matter.

As for IPTV, because the domestic regulatory framework is yet to be agreed on, it was comprehensively reserved for future measures. foreign ownership limitation, regulation on contents scheduling, and commercial presence obligation have all been comprehensively reserved... see http://www.mic.go.kr/index.jsp

1          Introduction

Brazil has just started a two-year program focused on Telecom Critical Infrastructure Protection. Its objectives are: i) to identify the critical points of Brazil's telecom infrastructure; ii) to propose recommendations intended to prevent security incidents and to guarantee service and business continuity if they happen; iii) to elaborate strategies and policies to protect Brazil's telecom infrastructure; iv) to analyze interdependence among different infrastructures. This program is developed by Anatel, Brazilian telecom regulator and by CPqD, a private R&D telecom center, and is sponsored by Fundo para o Desenvolvimento Tecnológico das Telecomunicações (Funttel).

2          Development

Critical infrastructure protection on a nationwide level has consequences that can impact a nation socially, politically or economically. This broad scope, that involves the society, government and industry, requires a new approach to understand the related risks and to develop a suitable program to protect what is critical to a country.

The Brazilian CTIP project (see Figure 1) is based upon four main points: contextualization, a protection strategy, a set of methodologies and software tools to support them. See http://www.citel.oas.org/newsletter/2007/marzo/infraestructura_i.asp

 

New Zealand's Minister of Communications has released a consultation document on the operational separation of Telecom NZ. The focus of the document is the planned three-way split of Telecom NZ into network, wholesale and retail divisions. Comments are requested by April 27, 2007. A final determination will be released in June, after which Telecom will have 20 days to prepare a draft separation plan. The split is expected to take effect in September. For more information, see http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/ContentTopicSummary____26310.aspx  The consultation document can be found here:http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/45545/operational-separation-consultation-document.pdf

Background documents that informed the consultation document:
Review of Equivalence Models and Their Potential Application in New Zealand: Report for MED  [ Published 04 April 2007 ] This report clarifies the definitions and potential applications of equivalence in New Zealand, with particular reference to Ofcom's experience with BT in the UK.
Operational Separation: Establishment of a Separate Access Network Services Unit  [ Published 15 February 2007 ] This paper develops and describes a model for the Access Network Services business unit.
Investigation of the BT Separation Model: Report for MED  [ Published 15 December 2006 ] This report provides detailed information on the British Telecom separation model.
Six Degrees of Separation: Operational Separation as a Remedy in European Telecommunications Regulation  [ Published 01 October 2006 ] This paper identifies the problem which separation is intended to tackle, lists a number of possible variants, and discusses the experience in the UK.

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