12.10.2015

The auction commission has announced today that all the five applications received in the procedure of auction for awarding the licences for the use of radio frequencies in the 3410-3600 MHz and 3600-3800 MHz, launched by ANCOM on 7 September 2015, qualified for the next stage. The operators interested in these bands and qualifying for the next stage are: 2K Telecom, Orange Romania, RCS&RDS, The National Radiocommunications Company and Vodafone Romania.

Following this first stage of application analysis, the commission will assess the bids submitted by each candidate and will announce the procedure continuation course (whether primary rounds are required or not, based on the demand/offer ratio).

16 paired blocks (2x5 MHz bandwidth) available on a national level in the 3.4 - 3.6 GHz band and 36 unpaired blocks (5 MHz bandwidth) available on a national level in the 3.6 – 3.8 GHz band have been auctioned out within the selection procedure. The new spectrum usage rights will enter into force from 1 January 2016, for a 10-year period.

In these bands, the winners will be able to provide, on a nationwide basis - among others - data transmission and broadband wireless internet access services.

Currently, there are seven licences in force in the 3410-3600 MHz band, held by Orange Romania, UPC Romania, Vodafone Romania and 2K Telecom. All of them have been issued for the nationwide provision of public electronic communications networks and services, by means of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Nomadic Wireless Access (NWA) applications. There is one licence in the 3600-3800 MHz band, awarded to the National Radiocommunications Company, for the provision of public electronic communications networks and services by means of broadband wireless access (BWA) applications, on a national level. All these eight licences are valid until 31 December 2015.