Southern Asian Region SOUTHERN ASIAN
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For communications professionals in the southern Asian region SOUTHERN ASIAN WIRELESSCOMMUNICATIONS Q2 2021 Volume 14 Number 2 l Are smart cities the answer to growing urbanisation? l A close look at the best networking monitoring solutions l The powerful pull of a home number on the road Your Partners For Digital Growth SOUTHERN ASIAN WIRELESS CONTENTS COMMUNICATIONS Q2 2021 5 NEWS 5 NEWS u Bollywood star loses 5G plea Volume 14 u Afghanistan set for 4G auctions Number 2 u Telkomsel switches on 5G u Philippines hands 25-year franchise to Dito u Skylo partners with Inmarsat for IoT u Bangladesh bans illegal handsets u No second wave slowdown, says Ericsson boss u 18 FEATURE I ‘Stop linking Covid with 5G’, telco says u Mavenir powers first smart city in Thailand Telenity is an industry-leading u Pakistan’s ‘poor telecom’ case provider of cutting-edge solutions for u Nokia to power AirFiber in India communications service providers 12 WIRELESS BUSINESS around the globe. We empower more u Globe Telecom secures US$100m loan to than 40 network operators, service, and finance capex u SLT-Mobitel emerges amongst Sri Lanka’s top 24 FEATURE II application providers in over 30 countries. 10 brands As an established and reliable technology 18 FEATURE Network monitoring player with 20+ years of know-how, we offer products and solutions to address our 22 INDUSTRY VIEW customers’ needs and help them stay ahead Satellite connectivity through the eyes of Hughes of the competition in the new era of 5G. 28 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS 24 FEATURE Smart cities [email protected] 28 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS www.telenity.com Nokia achieves 5G speed record 31 WORLD NEWS u Mexican president attacks telcos u Russia launches satellites for UK telecom u China Mobile targets Shanghai listing Enkudo, a recently announced brand of u Bahamas considers mobile entrant u Ooredoo appoints first female CEO Telenity, provides a reliable telco-grade u Telecom Italia ‘could drop Huawei’ platform bundled with a rich pool of u Türk Telekom, Nokia in ‘5G-ready’ network premium content as a master aggregator. We 31 WORLD NEWS deliver more control over third party digital merchants and aim to increase the variety SUBSCRIPTIONS: and quality of the operators’ digital offering. Southern Asian Wireless Communications is a controlled circulation quarterly magazine. Register now for your free subscription at www.kadiumpublishing.com Readers who do not qualify under the terms of control can purchase an annual subscription Enkudo business model is based on revenue at the cost of £110. For more information and general enquiries please contact Suzanne sharing, which eliminates an upfront Thomas at [email protected] or call +44 (0) 1932 886 537. investment. We work closely with all departments covering every aspect of the EDITORIAL: ADVERTISEMENT SALES: Editor: Robert Shepherd Sales: Kathy Moynihan digital services business, be it marketing, Designer: Ian Curtis [email protected] revenue growth, customer experience, Sub editor: Gerry Moynihan +44 (0) 1932 481731 technical support or compliance. Contributors: Steve Hwang, Martin Jarrold, Kevin Graham, Production & circulation: Suzanne Thomas Shanks Kulam, Dan Losada [email protected] [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 1932 481728 www.enkudo.com Editorial enquiries: [email protected] Publishing director: Kathy Moynihan Tel: +44 (0) 1932 481729 [email protected] +44 (0) 1932 481730 ISSN No: 2052-739X © 2021 Kadium Limited. All rights reserved. The content of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole, including photocopying, scanning and/or recording, or transmitted in any other form by any means including electronic, digital or mechanical, or stored in any form of data storage, archival or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright holders. All enquiries should be sent to Kadium Limited, IC 113, Image Court, 328-334 Molesey Road, Hersham, KT12 3LT, UNITED KINGDOM. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those shared by the publisher or the editor. E&OE. NEWS Bollywood star loses plea Cambodian minister against 5G implementation attacks telcos The High Court in Delhi dismissed finding on the subject. Disruptions to telephone and Bollywood actress-turned activist Her plea in the court cited internet services reported across Juhi Chawla’s lawsuit challenging the clinical and experimental evidence Cambodia June 2 were a result of 5G networks rollout in India. of damage to DNA, cells and poor infrastructure development Judges cited that the plaint organ systems in plants and in the telecommunications sector, was “not based on any special animals and human diseases like according to the country’s minister damage” suffered by the plaintiff cancer and diabetes being caused of posts and telecommunications. by electromagnetic radiation or by by electromagnetic pollution Chea Vandeth blamed internet cellular technology and imposed which is generated by wireless and mobile service providers for not a fine of Rs20 lakh, because mobile phone technology. investing enough in antenna masts it held that the petition was The case was filed to get the and other infrastructure to meet filed for publicity. government to certify to the public India has witnessed a lot of growing consumer demand. opposition to 5G on health grounds Chawla filed a suit against the that 5G technology is safe to “The companies would build a implementation of 5G in India humankind, animals and every type technology has to offer, including in single tower to serve an area of alleging harmful effects of radio of organisms, from flora, to fauna. the field of wireless communications. 3,000 people, which would’ve since frequency radiation. Juhi also wants the government to However, whilst using the latter kind grown to 10,000 people,” Vandeth In a plea filed with the Delhi conduct an efficient research, without of devices, we are in a constant said. “Thus many customers High Court, she claimed that 5G participation of private interest, dilemma, because after doing our experience disrupted services, and will lead to RF exposure to all and furnish the report and declare own research and studies regarding towers are far apart from each other, the living beings on earth which whether or not the implementation the RF radiation from wire-free with companies not installing more. will be 100 times more than the of 5G in India would be safe. gadgets and network cell towers, we Companies are merely looking to turn current level and lead to serious, “We are not against the have sufficient reason to believe that a profit and line their own pockets irreversible effects on humans. implementation of technological the radiation is extremely harmful with money without bothering to Chawla said 5G should not be advancements,” Chawla said. “On and injurious to the health and deploy additional equipment.” rolled out in India until it is certified the contrary, we enjoy using the safety of the people.” Growing urbanisation and a safe after a thorough research latest products that the world of The case was heard June 2. rising number of high-rises dotting the skylines of the capital Phnom Penh and provincial towns create Afghanistan set for new 4G auctions new market opportunities for The Afghanistan Telecom ranges. They can then consolidate in each within two years. Some the sector. However, even though Regulatory Authority (ATRA) their holdings into contiguous measure of infrastructure sharing telecoms firms churn out copious has published an Invitation To blocks with, it is promised, limited or at least the potential for sharing amounts of promotional packages Apply (ITA) to participate in intervention from ATRA. There will is also required as part of the to capitalise on the growing the auction of three 2×5MHz also be coverage obligations: 4G 15-year allocations. momentum in the industry, a lots in the 1800MHz range, two data services need to reach five As of yet there has been no sizeable portion provide substandard 2×5MHz lots in the 2100MHz of the largest cities in Afghanistan comment on the reserve prices services, Vandeth argued. range and three 2×10MHz blocks within 18 months and the next 13 of (US$17.2m for each 1800MHz Nevertheless, the minister said in the 2600MHz range. largest cities within two years. lot, US$12m per 2100MHz lot and telcos were not solely to blame. Winners will not be able to In addition, winners need US$11m for each 2600MHz lot). “Some borey [gated communities] control more than 2×10MHz to be able to offer at least five However, it will become clearer allow exclusive internet service from the 1800MHz and 2100MHz operational base stations in each as to how reasonable the pricing providers to increase prices and ranges, or 2×20MHz across all of the remaining provinces within has been come June 23, by when provide inadequate services, and of the 1800, 2100 and 2600 one year, and ten base stations applications must be submitted. others do not have land for building telecoms poles,” he added. Vandeth has since tasked a Telkomsel switches on 5G in three ministerial team with gauging the quality of services provided at all borey, and the ministry ordered Indonesian cities millions of dollars’ worth of Indonesia’s Telkomsel has switched The scope of the launch The operator’s president director equipment to measure services on 5G networks in three cities and falls well short of the list of Hendri Mulya Syam said that as throughout the country. said there will be further roll-outs cities named in late May by the first 5G operator in Indonesia, Meanwhile, Malaysian-owned in the not too distant future. communication and information “Telkomsel continues to make telecoms service provider Smart Customers in Balikpapan, minister Johnny G Plate. He gradual and measurable efforts Axiata said it would inject another Medan and Surakarta can now stated that the network would be in expanding the availability US$90m into the kingdom’s access the operator’s 5G network.