WiMax

New UK foreign investment law to impact telecoms, digital and data transactions

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Summary By the end of 2021, many corporate transactions in the communications, data infrastructure, artificial intelligence, satellite and space technologies sectors (and some others) will be subject to mandatory notification to, and national security review by, the UK government. Implementation timetable The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (“Act“) became part of UK law on …

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UK confirms it will mostly implement new EU telecoms law (despite Brexit)

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On 22 July 2020, the UK government confirmed that it would largely implement the European Electronic Communications Code – the EU’s updated, harmonised regulatory framework for telecoms – into UK law by 21 December 2020. This confirms the approach from that first announced in July 2019, providing welcome certainty, despite a change in the leader …

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Ofcom consults on revision of (half of) UK’s general authorisation conditions

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As anticipated, Ofcom yesterday started a consultation on its plans to update the UK’s Conditions of General Entitlement i.e. the obligations placed on all telecoms operators in the UK that rely on the UK’s general authorisation.

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Europe consults on implementation of net neutrality

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From 30 April 2016, Europe has been subject to net neutrality rules set out in the Connected Continent Regulation. However  those rules, set out in Articles 3 and 4 of the Regulation and reproduced below for easy reference, are framed at such a high level of abstraction as to be almost useless in assessing whether any particular practice is compliant or not.

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UK wayleave reform to create a £1bn windfall for telecoms operators

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As discussed previously, perhaps one of the most important pieces of legislation for the telecoms sector proposed in the recent Queen’s speech is reform of the Electronic Communications Code, which deals with the telecoms industry’s access to land in the UK.

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Finally! Bidding starts in UK 4G auction

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After many twists and turns (see here for background), the UK auction of spectrum in the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands started yesterday. Ofcom announced that the bidders are: Everything Everywhere Limited HKT (UK) Company Limited (a subsidiary of PCCW Limited) Hutchison 3G UK Limited MLL Telecom Ltd Niche Spectrum Ventures Limited (a subsidiary of BT …

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Singapore IDA contemplates reserving spectrum for new entrant as it consults on 4G auctions

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In a consultation published earlier this week, Singapore’s Info-Communications Development Agency (or IDA) published a consultation on auctioning and reserving spectrum in Singapore for 4G (LTE or WiMAX) use in the in 1800 MHz, 2.3 GHz and 2.5GHz bands. (As an aside, the 2.5GHz band from 2500 MHz to 2690MHz is also described as the 2.6 …

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Mobile broadband at heart of Europe’s recently adopted Radio Spectrum Policy Programme as WRC 12 concludes in Geneva

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The wheels of European legislation have slowly turned, and last week Europe adopted a five-year radio spectrum policy programme, at Parliament’s second reading under the co-decision procedure. Readers will recall that last summer two key issues remained outstanding between the Council of Ministers and Parliament – the date by which the 800 MHz band should …

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Will reforms to Cambodia’s telecoms regulatory regime reduce investment risk?

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I have been experiencing an interesting shift in the way that I advise clients on risk as part of my move from Europe to Asia. Almost a week after the Indian Supreme Court revoked 122 mobile licences on the grounds that their award was “totally arbitrary and unconstitutional”, which led to share price drops for some foreign …

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