"Bite-sized" updates from TRPC on tech-related developments in APAC. In telecoms, South Korea appears to be the first country in APAC to allow 6GHz Wi-Fi. OTT services continue to be scrutinised, with Australia and Japan casting an eye on misinformation and slander efforts. In FSI, South Korea will be hoping to expand the use of big data, while Australia is relaxing rules on regulatory sandbox participation.

1. July 2020
Digital Bytes

2. MSIT to open 6GHz band for license-exempt use
TELECOMS
DIGITAL BYTES
JULY 2020
Launch of New Telco NT Postponed to 2021
MIC Releases Draft Telco Technical Regulations
• The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)’s draft technical standards are Vietnam-specific,
and regulate the service standards for telco service internet connectivity technologies such as
FTTH/xPON, cable, ground, WCDMA, LTE, LTA-A etc.
• The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) will open the 5,925-7125MHz band for indoor license-exempt use
• A technology-neutral approach will be adopted, with minimum use conditions (such as power limits,
outputs etc) for Wi-Fi6E, 5G NR-U, etc.
• The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has announced that the merger of state telecom
enterprises TOT and CAT into National Telecom (NT) is postponed to Jan 2021.
• According to DES Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta, the coronavirus crisis and several bureaucratic
obstacles make it necessary to postpone the merger.

3. Statutory Infrastructure Provider Legal Framework Passed
• Australia has passed the Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP) regime and legislative framework, also known
as the telecoms reform package.
• The new law will underpin the Universal Service Guarantee (USG) in which telecoms and reliable high-
speed broadband are seen as essential utilities.
• The NBN Co now has the statutory obligation to provide to 90% of premises on its fixed-line network peak
broadband speeds of 50/10Mbps.
TELECOMS
DIGITAL BYTES
JULY 2020
Administrative Measures for Critical Telecom Infrastructure Issued
• The National Communications Commission (NCC)’s Administrative Measures aim to strengthen the
security of the public telecommunications networks.
• They lay out the self-assessment procedures and criteria, formulation, implementation and evaluation of
the security plans for designated critical telecommunications infrastructure.

4. IB Wants OTT Under Purview
• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (IB) has proposed taking over the purview of OTT platforms
from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Print, radio, tv, and films, are regulated, but till now OTT platforms have been unregulated.
OVER-THE-TOP (OTT)
DIGITAL BYTES
JULY 2020
ACMA Puts Out Position Paper on Voluntary Code of Conduct for Misinformation
MIC Consults on Measures Against Slander on the Internet
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) document views social media and other
platform operators as having to take a more active role in implementing efforts to address slander while
giving consideration to the freedom of expression.
• The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) wants platforms to come up with ways to
help people make sound decisions about the credibility of the news and information they are getting.
• The ACMA hopes the industry can develop a single code for implementation by Dec 2020. If not, it will
step in as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has done in addressing ad
revenue-sharing.

5. FSC Will Expand Availability of Big Data
• The Financial Services Commission (FSC) will enhance the Korea Credit Information Services’ CreDB
system to make more data sets available
• This will enable cross-convergence and analysis between CreDB data and other types of nonfinancial data
to better promote the use of big data in the financial services industry
FINANCIAL SERVICES
DIGITAL BYTES
JULY 2020
Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox (ERS) to go Live 1 Sep
• The sandbox will allow fintech firms to test new services and products for a period up to two years without
needing to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) or an Australian Credit Licence (ACL)
• Regulations to support the ERS were finalised in May
BSP Issues Payment System Oversight Framework
• The framework governs the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s regulatory approach to overseeing
payment systems in the Philippines
• Key provisions include BSP power to designate payment systems that are systemically and prominently
important and accredit a self-regulating Payment System Management Body

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TRPC is a boutique consulting firm which specialises in
telecommunications and information technology, particularly the
policy and regulatory issues associated with national information
infrastructure development, with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific
region. We offer specialised advisory, research, and training
services, with a focus on economics, regulatory and strategic
business issues, and possess an extensive network of industry
experts and professionals throughout the region.