By Vaughan O’Grady
According to local press reports, Jordan has taken the first steps towards formalising 5G adoption, after the country’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) signed an agreement late last week with two operators, Orange and Umniah, in preparation for the introduction of 5G services in the kingdom.
The aim of the agreement sems to be to boost competition and investment in the telecommunications sector in Jordan, as well as to support the development of communications infrastructure at a time when data demand in particular is rising.
However, capital investment in the local telecommunications industry seems to be down and so a stimulus package comes with the agreement. The package includes extending the duration of telecommunications carriers’ licences up to 10 years, reconciling pending issues, achieving technology neutrality, and providing motivational discounts when buying cellular frequencies, as well as providing licences for 5G. The government will receive a 10 per cent share of the revenues that 5G provides for local operators.
According to the Jordan Times, licensees will receive the 5G frequencies within one month of signing the agreement. They must launch the 5G services commercially in a period of no more than 18 months from the license date. Each licensor will also be committed to cover Jordan’s main regions and industrial and commercial areas within three years of the license date.
In addition each licensor has to provide 5G services to no less than 50 per cent of the Kingdom’s population (estimated at slightly over 11 million in 2021) within four years of the license date. Coverage must increase by five per cent annually until 75 per cent or more of the population is connected.
It is not entirely clear where this leaves Zain Jordan, which was not mentioned in the the Jordan Times report.
