April 24, 2008

The TRA published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, April 24th, four major decisions ensuring an improved structure of the Lebanese telecommunications market. These decisions entering into effect as of their publication date in the Official Gazette are related to the IPTV trial project, to the licenses authorizing the usage of VSAT within certain technical specifications, to the issuance of the SMP regulation and to the GSM frequencies granted to Ogero as part of a pilot project.

Through decision 1/2008, the TRA authorizes licensed ISPs and DSPs to provide a complete range of data services through ADSL and allows them to initiate a trial project involving the usage of IPTV - TV programs delivered to households via a broadband connection using Internet Protocols- for a period not exceeding 6 months and based on applicable laws, regulations and TRA policy in that regard.

The authorization of the VSAT usage is detailed in the decision 2/2008 and allows the issuance of licenses authorizing the exploitation of VSAT not exceeding 2 watts to all licensed ISPs for data transmission purposes and based on applicable laws, regulations and TRA policy in that regard.

The decisions related to IPTV and VSAT clarify some unclear technical and already existing legal issues and set a transparent and clear legal framework for the usage of those services by licensed Service Providers.

The SMP Regulation –Significant Market Power- was issued through decision 3/2008 further to the analysis of the public consultation feedback. The TRA’s ultimate objective through SMP Regulation is to grant Service Providers with essential information clarifying the Authority’s strategy while studying the telecom market segments to designate concerned Service Providers as SMP. The SMP Regulation also aims at promoting the adoption of international best practices by Service Providers and the provisioning of high quality services to end users based on technical and economic efficiency.

Decision 4/2008 is related to the temporary GSM frequencies assigned to Ogero in the framework of a pilot project destined to allow the necessary technical tests on the various mobile services stated in Law 431 in order to ensure the success of Liban Telecom mobile operation once corporatized.

Decision 4/2008 defines the conditions under which these frequencies should be used:

• The GSM services resulting from the MoU signed between Ogero and the Chinese company Huwawei who offered the Lebanese Government a GSM network supporting 50 000 lines, can only be used for testing and non-commercial purposes;
• Six temporary GSM frequencies are assigned to Ogero in the framework of a pilot test and cannot be used for commercial purposes

To view the full version of the TRA decisions, click here
For more details about the SMP Regulation, click here