Romania telecom regulator starts public consultation on action plan for next year

Romanian telecommunications authority Ancom launched a public consultation on its action plan for 2019. The organisation of a 5G auction is the authority's main project. Furthermore, Ancom plans 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. Ancom will also will place particular emphasis on the end-users' education and information.

In 2019, Ancom will organise 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.

In 2019, the authority will also award rights of use for the radio frequencies in TDAB + digital terrestrial broadcasting system, as well as rights of use for the radio frequencies in digital terrestrial television system for available spectrum resources.

In addition, the authority will conduct several campaigns, including an annual surveillance campaign on the effective use of the frequency spectrum, monitoring campaigns to assess involuntary roaming situations in border areas, as well as monitoring and control campaigns for assessing the coverage degree.

One of Ancom's priorities 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.

Following a public consultation process, the authority will also 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 said it will also 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.

Other measures are discouraging the use of radio equipment without a CE marking and informing all Ancom's target groups about the rights and obligations they have under the infrastructure law and, specifically, on each of the projects carried out by Ancom in the period 2018-2019.

Interested entities are invited to submit their comments and suggestions by 07 January 2019.