Page 149 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

service delivery in Nigeria’s expanding A2P messaging guarantee quality of service. A2P messaging is a
space. This initiative underscores NCC’s commitment critical tool for banks, fintechs, airlines, hospitals, and
to safeguarding Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, while even political campaigners, as it allows them to send
supporting the sustainable growth of international timely and automated information to users. However,
messaging services. (July 15, 2025) www.telecomreviewafrica.com the lack of formal regulation has led to a proliferation
of spam messages, security vulnerabilities, and lost
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has government revenue due to untracked international
released a new regulatory framework for Application-to- traffic. “It has been observed that the excessive use
Person (A2P) messaging services, marking a significant of the Short Message Service has led to fraud, spam
move to sanitize the country’s fast-growing automated and illegal activities. The problem is likely to worsen
messaging space and plug revenue leakages in as mobile connectivity and digital services continue
the telecoms sector. The framework introduces a to grow exponentially,” the NCC stated. By introducing
mandatory licensing regime for all businesses, telecom this licensing regime, the NCC said it aims to protect
operators, and aggregators that deliver bulk messages consumers from unsolicited messages, improve
from applications directly to consumers, such as transparency in message delivery, and ensure that
bank alerts, promotional SMS, and other automated players in the value chain—especially local telecom
notifications. Under the new rules, any entity that operators—earn their fair share from international
wants to operate in Nigeria’s A2P messaging space traffic. The Commission added that it will have better
must now secure a five-year licence from the NCC at control over the International A2P SMS traffic, ensuring
a cost of N10 million. The framework also mandates compliance with regulations and improving market
centralized routing for international A2P SMS, meaning oversight through the creation of a Single Platform.
such messages must pass through NCC-approved (July 9, 2025) www.nairametrics.com
channels to ensure compliance, prevent fraud, and

Paraguay has officially published the tender documents for each 50MHz sub-band at US$500,000. Licenses
for granting licenses to provide mobile cellular telephony will be granted for a five-year term, with the possibility
services, internet access and data transmission in the of renewal upon expiration. Winning operators will
3,500MHz frequency band. A preliminary version of be required to deploy 5G NR release 15 or higher,
Paraguay the documents was released in December 2024. The according to standards set by international body
3GPP. The tender includes obligations to share passive
bidding schedule includes a consultation period on
the tender specifications, which runs through July 20. infrastructure at radio base station sites used to provide
Applications will be accepted on August 4, with the telecommunications services, as well as measures to
envelopes to be opened on the same day. The country mitigate interference. Paraguay's national frequency
will offer eight spectrum blocks of 50MHz each in the allocation plan designates the 3,700-4,200MHz band
3,300-3,700MHz band. The maximum spectrum that primarily for fixed satellite services. The country
any provider may acquire in this process is capped currently has three leading mobile operators: Tigo, Claro
at 200MHz. Regulator Conatel has set the base price and Personal. (July 1, 2025) www.bnamericas.com

Five companies have expressed interest in acquiring concessions in return for investment commitments.
spectrum concessions to provide 5G services in Peru. Over 120,000 people in 1,220 rural areas will be able to
Four mobile players, Integratel Perú (formerly Telefónica access 4G for the first time because of the coverage
del Perú), Claro, Entel and Viettel, plus fixed operator commitments related to this process, according to
Peru Americatel, requested spectrum, the transport and the release. In addition, operators must deploy mobile
communications ministry (MTC) said in a press release.
infrastructure to cover 1,700km of national highways.
These expressions of interest are part of the first call for The ministry must issue resolutions approving the
proposals under the special mechanism for spectrum companies' participation by July 10.
allocation in the 3.5GHz band, which involves granting (July 24, 2025) www.bnamericas.co

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