10.07.2024

Following ANCOM's announcement regarding the granting of licenses for the installation and operation of local public electronic communications networks in DECT technology in the 1880-1900 MHz band, the Authority has validated the options submitted by Orange Romania. Thus, the validity of the operator’s existing licenses was extended, for its local DECT networks in 28 localities (administrative-territorial units) situated in Galati and Tulcea counties.

The final list of localities is available on ANCOM's website, here.

The announcement for a new round of granting DECT band licenses had been launched following the receipt of two requests from Orange Romania regarding the continuation of the provision of electronic communications services, using DECT technology, for 28 localities in these counties. The Authority called for further requests for possible interest from the market, between June 25 and July 4, 2024.

Given that Orange Romania SA is the only operator that has expressed interest in this band, the second stage of the mechanism for validating the operators' options - to be triggered upon receipt of several applications for the same locality - was no longer needed.

The process of granting usage rights in this band will be relaunched periodically, in June and November each year, where the Authority receives further requests for usage rights with a view to providing wireless access local public electronic communications networks in the DECT band, prior to 1 June,  respectively 1 November. ANCOM will announce the launch of a new round of granting usage rights in the DECT band and the deadline for submitting the interested parties’ options, following which the mechanism for validating the operators' options will be triggered.

Licenses are grated according to the Position Paper on the use of radio spectrum at national level in the 1880-1900 MHz frequency band, in force since 2014, when the Authority established that the DECT band should become available at national level. The document was subsequently updated, in 2019.

Further details about this round of granting DECT band licenses are available, in Romanian, here.

Useful information about the DECT band

The 1880-1900 MHz frequency band (the so-called "DECT band") ensures good coverage of the territory (yet without allowing significant data transmission capacities), which is why ANCOM has proposed – by drafting and adopting a Position Paper – to encourage its use, especially in geographical areas that are disadvantaged in terms of access to electronic communications services.

Considering the results of the process of granting usage rights in the 1880-1900 MHz band in DECT technology, launched on June 25, 2024, the existing local public radio access networks for the provision of publicly available electronic communications services will continue to operate.