Page 87 - SAMENA Trends - May 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

A new report says Telus Corp. is the most complained- one-quarter of total grievances. The watchdog said it’s
about telecommunications service provider in Canada the first time since it was established in 2007 that Telus
so far this year, as overall grievances by customers topped its complaints list. Rogers Communications Inc.
continue to rise in the sector. The mid-year report by has held that undesirable title for two straight full-year
Canada the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television reports after overtaking Bell Canada. Telus accounted
Services (CCTS) says it handled 11,909 total complaints for 19.7 per cent of all complaints accepted by the
from customers between Aug. 1, 2024 and Jan. 31, CCTS, followed by Rogers at 18.7 per cent and BCE Inc.’s
2025. That’s up almost 12 per cent from the same Bell Canada at 16.7 per cent. Complaints about Telus
reporting period a year earlier. The increase was driven were up almost 63 per cent year-over-year, which the
by customers’ issues with their wireless service, which commission said was driven by issues around incorrect
represented around half of all complaints submitted, charges, breach of contract, and regular price increases
followed by internet issues, which accounted for just over on monthly plans. (April 30, 2025) www.globalnews.com

China’s three major mobile players racked up nearly lion. Both reported roughly 3 per cent growth in net prof-
1.05 billion 5G network subscribers at end-March, with it: CNY30.6 billion for China Mobile and CNY8.9 billion
market leader China Mobile registering an 18.6 per cent for China Telecom. China Mobile’s telecoms services
year-on-year growth to 578 million. China Telecom and revenue inched up 1.4 per cent to CNY222.4 billion. Its
China China Unicom disclosed their network numbers in the overall mobile subscriber base dipped marginally to 1
quarter, previously releasing package subscriber fig- billion. ARPU improved 3.5 per cent to CNY46.90. Aver-
ures. China Telecom reported 266.2 million 5G network age data consumption slipped from 16.6GB to 16.1GB.
subscribers, with its website no longer showing package China Unicom’s operating revenue increased 3.9 per
subs – those with 5G plans but not compatible devices. cent to CNY103.4 billion, with service revenue edging
Total mobile users increased 4.3 per cent to 429.5 mil- up 2 per cent to CNY90.9 billion. Sales of telecom prod-
lion. China Unicom ended the quarter with 203.8 million ucts grew 19.3 per cent to CNY12.5 billion. Its net profit
5G network subs. A year ago it reported 268.9 million increased 5.6 per cent to CNY5.9 billion. The operator
5G package subs. China Mobile’s operating revenue added 4.8 million mobile subscribers to close March
was flat at CNY222.4 billion ($2.6 billion), while China with 349 million.
Telecom’s sales were also unchanged at CNY135.5 bil- (April 28, 2025) www.mobileworldlive.com

Colombia started operations of a 20bn-peso ing to a service outage in Chocó. The damage resulted
(US$4.7mn), 324km fiber network connecting Medellín from vandalism, according to Azteca Comunicaciones.
and Quibdó to enable internet access in Chocó depart- This backbone network connects municipalities around
ment. The network is owned by Internexa, the connec- Quibdó, a press release by the ICT ministry said. It also
Colombia tivity division of state firm ISA. It is the region's second connects to 712km national fiber network that serves
fiber network and seen as essential to provide redun- 19 municipalities and is part of a project to connect
dancy and guarantee connectivity as Azteca Comunica- 40,000 homes in 13 municipalities.
ciones' infrastructure is severely damaged. Last week, (April 28, 2025) www.bnamericas.com
fiber cables in Santa Cecilia municipality were cut, lead-

It now seems that the Democratic Republic of Congo apparently strong resistance to a service that military
has granted a licence to satellite communications officials feared could be used by rebel groups, including
company Starlink – despite an earlier ban, which finally Rwandan-backed M23 insurgents who have reportedly
appears to have been rescinded.The DRC said not only routed the DRC army to take control of the eastern part
Democratic that it had become the latest African country to grant of the country. Indeed, only a year ago, the Congolese
Republic of a licence to Starlink but that the company would begin Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
said use of Starlink was banned and violators would
operations soon. As Reuters points out, DRC, which has
Congo been dealing with war and instability for some time, face sanctions. Meanshile Starlink continues to make
has low connectivity. International Telecommunication inroads into African markets. April saw licence awards
Union (ITU) figures indicate that under a third of the in Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau and Somalia, bringing the
population were using the internet by 2023. However, service to more than 20 African countries. Could
it’s not clear why DRC has reversed its view given the Uganda be next? It has been widely reported that

87 MAY 2025