Updated: June 4, 2012 (Initial publication: May 22, 2012)

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The Gambia has 1.7 million inhabitants and 4 mobile operators. It was common that people use prepaid cards purchased on the street, without revealing their identity. In January 2012, the telecommunications regulatory authority, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) enacted the obligation to identify the holder of a mobile phone; this declaration must be made before June 15, 2015. It is not possible since January to buy prepaid SIM cards and from June, if the identification is not made, the line will be suspended. Associations are protesting, seeing in this device a mechanism for monitoring of the population.

Updated: May 29, 2012 (Initial publication: May 15, 2012)

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The Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes (ARCEP - French regulator of Telecommunications and Posts) granted a licence for a new entrant, Free, what was widely challenged. This allocation was made in exchange f a number of commitments of recipient, especially towards the virtual mobile networks operators (MVNO). Indeed, FREE must allow them to use its facilities and its authorisation, the satisfaction of the commitment which has the effect of fostering competition in the mobile phone market. However, some virtual mobile networks operators (MVNO) complained that Free would not respect its commitments in that the offer of host that FREE have made in exchange, of a higher price of retail price, which is contrary to the principle of opening up competition. The regulator opens proceedings against FREE.

Updated: May 14, 2012 (Initial publication: May 6, 2012)

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As in all systems of telecommunications in the world backed to a liberalized market, the one organized in India foresees the granting of licences to operators. It is the Government that allocates licenses, but it is the regulator (the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India - TRAI) that provides the financial terms to set the price of the licenses. On May, 2 2012, the regulator has proposed to use the auction method. The association of operators protested. This method led indeed generally priced higher than other methods of pricing of licenses assigned.

Updated: May 9, 2012 (Initial publication: April 20, 2012)

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The Algerian population is heavily access the mobile phone. Operators had designed special offers, including the terminal itself and a "pre-paid" said contract, the subscriber having a consumption credit, thereby decreasing by the use. The Algerian Telecommunications regulator, by a decision of March, 7 2012, has purely and simply prohibits this type of offer, while she oversees other type of promotional offers. This prohibition is criticized in that it breaks the dynamics of the market, 95% of the customers do not have the opportunity to access to another service than prepaid subscription and being excluded from access to the mobile terminals. It is advocated by others, that only subscriptions giving rise to payment after the use correspond to a mature market, with creditworthy customers and more complex services. The regulator did not intend to speak on this issue.

Updated: May 9, 2012 (Initial publication: April 25, 2012)

Breaking news

The French telecommunications and postal regulator (ARCEP ­– Autorité de regulation des communications électroniques et des postes) has prepared a project of pricing of mobile call termination, that is to say the amount that an operator must pay to reach another user. Thus, when a subscriber of Orange mobile calls a subscriber of Free mobile, Orange gives money to Free. Inversely, when a subscriber of Free mobile calls a user of Orange mobile, Free gives money to Orange. The regulator notes that Free mobile, new entrant, have less subscribers than the three operators, and will therefore receive less money than the others. It's the reason why, it justify to his advantage a temporarily higher pricing, the time it finds its place in the competitive market of mobile phone. On April 12, 2012, the European Commission publicly expressed that the principle of an asymmetric pricing policy is insufficient. The French telecommunications and postal regulator (ARCEP – Autorité de regulation des communications électroniques et des postes) has responded by standing that the principle of asymmetrical pricing was not sufficient and that justifications will be provided.