Page 39 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2025

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Kuwait's CITRA Sets New Licensing Fees for Internet Providers

The Communications and Information prior written approval from CITRA. Also, requirements have been met. The license
Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) Internet service providers are prohibited will be valid for one calendar year, starting
has prepared two draft regulatory decisions from allowing their subscribers to resell from the date specified in the license. The
regarding the requirements and controls the service. The draft regulatory decision decision specifies the financial counterpart
for licensing wireless Internet service regarding the requirements and controls for the annual license fees at a non-
providers and Internet service providers, for licensing Internet service providers refundable amount of KD 98,000, payable
reports Al-Anba daily. According to these stipulates that providing Internet service in advance upon receiving CITRA’s approval
draft decisions, the annual license fee is prohibited without obtaining a license to grant the license. Also, the applicant is
for wireless Internet service providers is from CITRA. Licensees, such as wired or required to submit an unconditional bank
set at KD 75,000. Applicants are required wireless Internet service providers, must guarantee letter of KD 98,000 in favor of
to submit an unconditional guarantee apply CITRA to obtain a license for their CITRA, issued by a local bank, which will
letter of the same value from the bank in activities, following the regulations outlined remain valid throughout the license period.
favor of CITRA, which should remain valid in this decision. Service providers may The draft of the second resolution on the
throughout the license period. Meanwhile, offer wireless Internet services only after foundations and controls for licensing
the annual license fee for Internet obtaining the necessary prior approvals wireless Internet service providers
service providers is set at KD 98,000, and and frequency allocations from CITRA. The stipulates that mobile telecommunications
applicants must provide a guarantee letter license application must be submitted to companies must obtain a license from
of the same value from the bank. The CITRA, signed by the legal representative CITRA before offering wireless Internet
regulations for Internet service providers of the applicant, using the approved forms. services. Companies are required to apply
and wireless Internet service providers The application must include several CITRA to obtain a license for providing
include the installation and operation documents, along with a detailed study of wireless Internet services, under the
of necessary devices and programs to the applicant’s administrative, technical, conditions and regulations stipulated in the
block access to sites that violate religion, and financial capabilities, which should resolution. The license application must be
morals, national security, or public order, clarify the necessary resources to provide signed by the legal representative of the
or those specified by CITRA or reported the service. Additional documents or applicant and submitted on the approved
by the public. Licensees are prohibited data may also be requested by CITRA to forms. It should be accompanied by
from connecting their private networks to complete the application review process. relevant documents and a detailed study
any other local or international networks According to the decision, CITRA will of the applicant’s administrative, technical,
outside Kuwait’s borders to provide wired issue its ruling on the application within and financial capabilities, clarifying the
or wireless Internet services without 60 working days after verifying that all necessary resources to provide the service.

Pakistan’s Jazz to Deploy Solar Tech from Huawei at 1,000 Sites

Pakistani telco Jazz – owned by global of iSolar sites takes us further in our deployments can serve as a scalable model
digital operator Veon – announced sustainability journey, enabling us to for future expansion, offering a replicable
at Mobile World Congress 2025, it is provide reliable connectivity powered by framework that can be extended. The initial
collaborating with Huawei to deploy solar renewable energy to our customers. This 1,000-site deployment will be completed
power tech at 1,000 of its mobile base Beyond the environmental and operational within the coming months.
station sites across Pakistan. Under the benefits, Jazz also reckons the initial iSolar
deal, Jazz will deploy Huawei’s iSolar
technology at the sites. Jazz said the
solution will reduce its energy costs as
much as 96% at the sites where the tech is
installed. Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim said the
project will facilitate the telco’s transition to
sustainable telecom network infrastructure
with green energy, and support its
commitment to be carbon-neutral by
2050. “We are dedicated to delivering an
ideal experience for our customers while
mitigating our environmental footprint,”
he said in a statement. The deployment

39 MARCH-APRIL 2025