Page 88 - SAMENA Trends - May 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said that he had launched, though that still leaves the Amazon business,
had a productive meeting with Starlink representatives. also positioned as a boost to connectivity in remote or
Starlink isn’t having things entirely its own way. Late rural areas, some way behind Starlink.
April also saw the first 27 satellites in Project Kuiper (May 5, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com

Arcep is adopting a decision setting a price cap for a result, the Authority has set the recurring monthly
access to the Orange copper local loop, which is subject rate for access to full unbundling (LLU), subject to an
to an obligation of cost-based pricing, and applicable obligation of cost-based pricing, of €9.20 for the years
for three years: 2026, 2027 and 2028. The responses 2026 to 2028. This tariff is identical to the one charged
France to the public consultation, which ran from 5 December in 2024 and 2025. This capped price is on top of the
2024 to 17 January 2025, did not lead the Authority to
monthly flat-rate tax on network businesses (IFER)
make any substantial changes to its draft decision. The which Arcep adjusts every year to factor in the annual
Authority submitted this draft decision to the European IFER update, as was the case in 2024 and 2025.
Commission for comment on 27 February 2025. As (April 11, 2025) www.en.arcep.fr

Sam George, Ghana's Minister of Communication, reported that Sam George’s predecessor, Ursula Owusu-
Digital Technology and Innovations, is widely reported Ekuful, said that deploying 5G services depended on
to have set what is described as a firm deadline of operators purchasing the necessary capacity and
June 2025 for the Next Generation Infrastructure providing it to their customers. This does not appear to
Ghana Company (NGIC) to launch 5G services in the West have happened. A May deadline to deliver 5G services is
not going to be met. Sam George has said that if a new
African country. But will it be met? Ghana's government
announced in August 2023 that it did not plan to auction deadline of June 2025 is missed, renegotiations will
5G spectrum but would establish NGIC, a "neutral shared be on the table. At the moment NGIC has an exclusive
infrastructure company", to deliver nationwide 4G and right to offer 5G services in Ghana for a decade. Even if
5G services. In November 2024, NGIC announced its this target is met, 5G demand is not guaranteed. Many
readiness to collaborate with operators and internet sources quote market research company Omdia, which
service providers (ISPs) to launch 5G services. It estimates that 8.2 millions of MTN Ghana's 29 million
apparently claimed that operators MTN Ghana, Airtel subscribers were on 4G at the end of the fourth quarter
Ghana and Telecel would roll out the services to their of 2024 but only 445,000 subscribers of Telecel Ghana's
customers before the end of 2024 in the cities of Accra, almost 6.5 million subscribers were on 4G in the same
Kumasi and Takoradi. However, the rollout deadlines period. Many other subscribers are still using 3G.
have been repeatedly postponed. In January 2025 we (April 18, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com

Hong Kong’s Communications Authority (CA) revealed to be imposed on each bidder. A new unified carrier
plans to hold an auction in Q4 to reassign 50MHz of licence with a validity period of 15 years will be issued
2.6GHz spectrum, which expires in May 2028. CA to each winner. Assignees will be required to provide a
stated the spectrum utilisation fee will be determined minimum coverage of 90 per cent within five years of
Hong Kong by auction, with the reserve price to be specified receiving the spectrum. The spectrum is currently held
by China Mobile Hong Kong, Genius Brand, HKT and
nearer the time of the sale. The agency explained its
technology-neutral approach would allow assignees SmarTone. Genius Brand is a joint venture between HKT
to use any widely recognised standard for service and Hutchison Telephone. The CA and the Secretary
provision. Winning bidders may submit a joint for Commerce and Economic Development opened a
application for frequency swapping mutually agreeable public consultation in September 2024 to gather input
to the companies. The resigned spectrum will be sold from stakeholders.
in five 2x5MHz blocks, with a spectrum cap of 20MHz (April 2, 2025) www.mobileworldlive.com

88 MAY 2025