The Philippines’ NTC has denied NOW Telecom’s appeal to extend its mobile license after the company failed to meet rollout targets—deploying just 6 of 2,306 promised base stations. Regulatory non-compliance and unpaid spectrum fees totaling PHP 3.57 billion further sealed its fate.
The UK’s major mobile operators are challenging Ofcom’s proposed changes to spectrum annual license fees. Despite a proposed 21% reduction in fees for the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrums, and a 12% increase for the 2100MHz band, operators argue the fees are still too high.
Egypt has finally embraced 5G technology, as Vodafone, E&, and Orange secure their licenses, marking a pivotal moment in its telecom landscape. With a $675 million investment for 15-year 5G licenses, Egypt aims to enhance communication capabilities.
South Korea has officially revoked the mobile license of Stage X, led by Stage Five, an affiliate of tech giant Kakao Corp. The Ministry of Science and ICT cited failure to meet financial and operational criteria as reasons. Stage X aimed to join established carriers like SK Telecom and KT but struggled to secure necessary capital.
In a landmark verdict, Telecom Italia (TIM) resolves a decade-long license fee dispute. Awarded a €1 billion payout by the Italian Government, TIM’s victory prompts further scrutiny of the necessity of these fees post-privatization.
