26.06.2017

ANCOM launches a public consultation on the need and opportunity to organise a competitive selection procedure with a view to awarding the rights of spectrum use in the new frequency bands harmonised on European level for broadband mobile communications systems, i.e. 694-790 MHz and 1452-1492 MHz, as well as in the frequency sub-bands not yet awarded during previous selection procedures, respectively 791-796 MHz/832-837 MHz, 2530-2570 MHz/2650-2690 MHz, 3410-3420 MHz/3510-3520 MHz and 3450-3465 MHz/3550-3565 MHz.

The bands under public consultation contribute to ensuring spectrum resources needed for the efficient development of communications services in the context of the rampant mobile internet consumption, as well as the implementation of new generation technologies, also known as 5G or IMT-2020.

These new communications technologies will enable us to connect all intelligent objects to be used in the future: smart cities, smart homes, self-driving cars, digital public services for citizens and companies. The key to all these is ubiquitous, super-high speed and massive capacity radio – i.e. wireless – communications, available for a huge density of users.

”I would like to see all big cities in Romania covered with 5G services within 5 years’ time, and today ANCOM is taking the first step towards this new industrial revolution and the digital transformation of the Romanian economy and society. Again, we could be among the first countries in the EU initiating such an auction, and for sure the first in Eastern Europe, as we were in 2012, when ANCOM organised a premiere spectrum auction in this part of our continent,” declared Adrian DIȚĂ, ANCOM’s President, in the context of launching this consultation.

Taking into account the importance of the limited spectrum resource available, the impact of the decision on the future use of these frequency bands, as well as its effect on the Romanian electronic communications market, ANCOM deems necessary to consult all the interested parties, in order to ensure a transparent and fair decisional process, and the predictability of the adopted measures.

The questionnaire published on the Authority’s website here, is aimed at obtaining information from the market players as regards their interest in acquiring new rights of use and in using these bands, and also regarding the period when this auction is considered to be timely. Moreover, by opening a dialogue with the interested stakeholders, the Authority aims to clarify a series of technical and economic aspects regarding the access in these frequency bands, as well as some elements that could influence results, such as the selection procedure design, the frequency bands auctioned together, the optimum spectrum amounts available to be acquired by one operator and certain obligations included in licences.

The opinions and comments expressed in this consultation will serve as grounds for the decision to be taken related to awarding the rights of use for the frequencies available in these bands.

The interested persons are invited to read and answer the questionnaire published here, and to send it to ANCOM, by 26.07.2017, at the ANCOM headquarters in 2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3, or directly to the ANCOM Registry Office. Comments may also be sent by fax to +40 372 845 402 or by e-mail to consultare@ancom.org.ro.