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Morocco: $160 million for Telecommunications in Rural Communities |
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Wednesday, 02 January 2008 |
Morocco’s government has invested over US$ 160 million to provide telecommunications in 9,263 rural communities.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) said that the four-year program would provide coverage to two million people. Telecommunications operators will provide phone and Internet services. The National Human Development Initiative (INDH) is financing 50% of the localities.
A total of 311 rural areas will see community access projects in 2008. These projects are worth US$ 5.5 million.
Another program costing US$ 142.9 million will provide 8,600 schools with multimedia facilities, including Internet connections, by 2009. The project, launched in 2005, will serve over 6 million students.
The first phase of the project covered over 1.5 million students, including students in 38 rural areas. The project provided services to 1,900 schools, including 2,050 multimedia classrooms and 31 training centres. The second phase, which was launched in July 2007, will serve 4,000 schools. Of the 4,000 schools, 2,000 are located in rural areas.
Source: Cellular-News from APA-Rabat - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Brazil: 3G licenses sell for more than expected |
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Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
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Brazil’s 3G license auction resulted in far higher prices than expected, giving the government a significant windfall.
On Tuesday, the first day of the auction, bids totalled over US$ 1.3 billion due to intense competition, telecommunications regulator Anatel said. Vivo, TIM, Oi and Claro each bought a license covering the eastern coastal region, which includes Rio de Janeiro. The auction is set to continue on Wednesday. In all, 44 licenses covering eleven areas are being auctioned.
Before the auction, the head of Anatel Ronaldo Sardenberg said he expected the premium on the licenses to be around 25%. Communications Minister Helio Costa said a 40% premium over the minimum license fee was possible. So far, the licenses have sold for over two and a half times the minimum. The battle for the license in the coastal region was so intense that Claro paid a premium of nearly three times the minimum to beat out Nextel. Source: Agence France-Presse - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Uganda: Reliance wins licenses |
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Tuesday, 18 December 2007 |
Reliance Communications (RCOM) will invest over US$ 200 million to roll out fixed and mobile networks in Uganda.
The company was awarded licenses to become Uganda’s sixth operator. The other operators are MTN, Uganda Telecom, Hits Telecom, Celtel and Warid Telecom. RCOM intends to launch by the third quarter of 2008.
According to sources, RCOM was awarded two licenses, Public Infrastructure Provider (PIP) and Public Service Provider (PSP). The licenses will enable the company to offer mobile, fixed, internet, national and international long distance, WiMAX and WiFi services. RCOM plans to start by offering GSM mobile service.
Uganda is RCOM's first country of operation outside of India. RCOM's earlier efforts to enter international markets failed. RCOM unsuccessfully bid for mobile licences in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Qatar, and fixed line licenses in Bahrain and Kenya.
Source: The Economic Times - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Peru: Government working on infrastructure sharing bill |
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Monday, 17 December 2007 |
The government of Peru has sent congress a bill allowing telecommunications operators to share infrastructure in order to increase the sector’s competitiveness.
The bill stipulates that all telecommunications operators should have the right to access each other's infrastructure unless Osiptel, the sector regulator, decides otherwise. The bill would allow operators to charge a fee for sharing infrastructure, which would be determined by Osiptel. Sharing infrastructure is one of the requirements of the country’s free trade agreement with the US.
According to Liliana Ruiz, president of consultancy Alterna Perú, the bill would benefit smaller operators that do not have the financial resources to build their own infrastructure.
"In recent years, many cable TV operators have argued that (incumbent) Telefónica would not rent its infrastructure to them. If the bill is approved, it will become an obligation," Ruiz said.
Source: Business News Americas - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.
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Malaysia: Minister to discuss USP Fund |
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Thursday, 13 December 2007 |
The Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik will discuss Universal Service Provision (USP) Fund contributions with operators to determine how resources are being used in rural areas.
The most recent figures (2006) on the fund’s resources show it is holding US$ 482 million. The USP Fund was initially used to provide telephone service in underserved areas. The government has since expanded its uses to include broadband internet access. There have been claims that the fund was underutilised.
"Tomorrow morning I would call up the operators of the USP Fund to give me a briefing how they are using the fund, which is building up to a huge account," Dr. Lim said.
"I would most certainly like to use it all up before I leave (office)," he added.
On a related topic, Dr. Lim said the E-Bario project for the Kelabit community in Sarawak is experiencing issues with their VSAT equipment. The project, started by a team from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, is intended as a model for bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas.
Source: Bernama - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Russia: Tele2 Awarded Mobile Licenses |
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Monday, 10 December 2007 |
The Swedish operator Tele2 has been awarded 14 GSM1800 licenses in Russia.
The licenses will allow Tele2 to cover 34 regions and around 60 million people. In November, Tele2 said the Russian government awarded the company 17 licenses, but only three were officially awarded at that time.
"The licenses were expected, but it does mean that Tele2 will be able to continue growing in the region over the next three to five years," said Swedbank Markets analyst Sven Skoeld.
Tele2 now has GSM licenses in 23 out of 28 regions in the North-West and Central Federal Districts, two licenses in the Southern Federal District, three licenses in the Volga Federal District, one license in the Urals Federal District and five licenses in the Siberian Federal District.
Source: Dow Jones - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Indonesia: Government Cancels Universal Service Tender |
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Friday, 07 December 2007 |
Indonesia’s government has cancelled the universal service obligation (USO) tender.
Gatot S. Dewa Broto, from the Directorate General of Post and Telecommunication said that the government would likely re-run the tender in 2008. Gatot said that many tender participants, including the two remaining contenders at the final phase, were not able to meet the government’s requirements. Through the USO tender, the government plans to award a fixed-line license.
"It is urgent for us to review the regulations on the use of fixed-line technology in USO areas," he added.
The winner of the tender will be allowed to provide fixed-line and VoIP service in the blocks that they have won. If the winner does not possess a long-distance license, the government will issue an Internet telephony license. The winner will also get 2.3 GHz frequency to provide WiMAX broadband services.
The USO program is expected to collect US$ 842 million over five years to 2013. Gatot added that following the cancellation, the government would return the guarantee money to all participants.
At the final phase of the tender, only two participants remained, PT Telkom and ACeS Ltd.
Source: Bisnis Indonesia - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.
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Colombia: CRT Cuts Mobile Interconnection Fee |
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Thursday, 06 December 2007 |
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Colombia's telecommunications regulator, CRT, has reduced the maximum interconnection fee mobile providers may charge for calls made to their networks from customers using other mobile networks. The maximum fee is now US$ 0.06 per minute, down from US$ 0.12.
The interconnection rate drop is designed to increase competition and promote investment, CRT director, Lorenzo Villegas said in a statement. Colombia has three mobile operators with a total of 29 million customers. Comcel, owned by America Movil, has a market share of 65%, Telefonica has a 26% share and Colombia Movil, owned by Millicom, has 9.1% of the market. Source: Dow Jones - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Brazil: Regulator expects 100% mobile coverage by the end of 2009 |
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
Brazil's telecommunications regulator Anatel expects mobile operators to cover 100% of country’s population by the end of 2009.
Today, mobile coverage in Brazil is generally available only in cities with over 30,000 inhabitants. Anatel expects coverage of smaller towns and rural areas to improve soon through auctions for mobile licenses dedicated to smaller towns. For these auctions, Anatel plans to set reserve prices at significantly lower levels than those sought in earlier mobile license auctions.
Though mobile operators do not have universal access obligations, they are still required to contribute 1% of their revenues to FUST, the country’s universal access fund. The concession contracts of fixed line operators include obligations to provide coverage in neglected areas. Fixed line operators also contribute 1% of their revenues to FUST.
According to Anatel, Brazil’s mobile penetration was 60.4% at the end of October.
Source: Cellular-News - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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Ghana: Ghana Telecom stake won by France Telecom |
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Monday, 26 November 2007 |
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The Ghanaian government selected Telecom France as the winner of a 51% stake in Ghana Telecom (GT).
Vodacom and Portugal Telecom were the other participants in the GT auction. Twenty foreign investors originally expressed interest in Ghana Telecom when the Government of Ghana announced the privatization earlier in 2007. The sale is designed to spur increased efficiency and quality of service. The remaining 49% of GT shares are to be sold on the Ghana stock exchange.
The price of the 51% stake has not been confirmed. Sources close to the Ministry of Communication say it is in the range of US$ 500 – 600 million. Source: Ghanaian Chronicle - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News. |
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