07.12.2018

The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has launched for public consultation its Action Plan for 2019. “New challenges lie ahead of ANCOM in 2019, with the organisation of the 5G auction as a main project. Furthermore, we plan to transpose the European framework into the national legislation, respectively the new European Electronic Communications Code and the EU Regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services. All these changes will surely have significant impact on the whole communications market, and especially on the users’ consumer behaviour, therefore next year we will place particular emphasis on the end-users’ education and information”, declared Sorin GRINDEANU, President of ANCOM. 

Spectrum management and administration

In 2019, ANCOM will organize the selection procedure with a view to awarding the rights of use for the radio frequencies available in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1500 MHz, 2600 MHz, 3400-3600 MHz bands for the provision of broadband public electronic communications networks and services. This action is aimed at achieving the 2020 broadband access targets of the Digital Agenda for Europe and the objectives of the “5G Action Plan for Europe” on the coordinated introduction of 5G services in the Union.

Next year, the Authority will also organize selection procedures with a view to awarding rights of use for the radio frequencies in TDAB + digital terrestrial broadcasting system, as well as to awarding rights of use for the radio frequencies in digital terrestrial television system for the still not acquired spectrum resources.

Spectrum monitoring and control

In addition to ANCOM's annual surveillance campaign on the effective use of the frequency spectrum, in 2019, the Authority will conduct monitoring campaigns to assess involuntary roaming situations in border areas, as well as monitoring and control campaigns for assessing the coverage degree.

Transposition of European legislation

A priority for the Authority in 2019 will be drafting of a normative act for transposing the provisions of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Electronic Communications Code. The Code is one of the key elements of the Digital Single Market Strategy and has entered into force this month, the Member States having the obligation to transpose its provisions at national level within two years.

In 2019, ANCOM will also adapt the secondary legislation in the field of postal services to include the provisions of the European Regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services, which sets the market players’ obligation to send additional information to the Authority in order to increase tariff transparency and to ensure consistency at European level.

Infrastructure Law no. 159/2016

Following a public consultation process, the Authority will issue the decision imposing the technical and economic conditions for access to infrastructure projects carried out with the participation or support of central or local public administration authorities, or fully or partially financed from public funds. ANCOM will also contribute to drawing up the technical norms for designing and building physical infrastructure, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Society and with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration.

Regulations on electronic communications services

With a view to enhancing the competitiveness of communications networks, in 2019 ANCOM will review the relevant markets for switched call transit on public telephone networks, for access to infrastructure elements and for broadband access services. Other proposed projects concern the setting of fixed call termination rates based on a cost calculation model, amending the decision on laying down measures for disabled end-users and the implementation of the project on developing solutions for measuring the quality of the access service using Netograf.ro.

Regulations on postal services

As regards the postal services market, in addition to implementing the provisions of the European Regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services, the Authority also plans to carry out a study on the quality of parcel delivery services and the impact of e-commerce on the postal services market, as well as to verify the requests for compensating the net cost for the years 2017 and 2018.

Stakeholder information

In pursuit of improving the users’ information on non-compliant equipment that affects the use of the frequency spectrum under licence conditions, ANCOM will continue the campaign aimed at discouraging the use of radio equipment without a CE marking in 2019, as well.

With a view to increasing the level of information on the provisions of the Infrastructure Law, ANCOM will take the necessary steps to inform all its target groups (public authorities, electronic communications providers, and private owners) about the rights and obligations they have under this law and, specifically, on each of the projects carried out by ANCOM in the period 2018-2019.

Besides initiating the allocation of spectrum resources for the implementation of 5G technologies, ANCOM will ensure that all interested parties are informed about this process, by various means, so that all the transparency requirements of such a complex process are met.

Public consultation

ANCOM’s Draft Action Plan for 2019 is available, in Romanian, here. Interested entities are invited to submit their comments and suggestions, by 07 January 2019, at the ANCOM headquarters (2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3), directly to the ANCOM Registry Office or by means of the ANCOM regional divisions. Comments may also be sent by fax to +40 372 845 402 or by e-mail to consultare@ancom.org.ro.