20.01.2014

The Romanian Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) launches, today, a public consultation on awarding one frequency block in the 800 MHz band and 8 blocks in the 2600 MHz band. These resources, unawarded following the 2012 spectrum auction, will be allotted for the provision of broadband mobile communications services.

Following the auction organised by ANCOM in 2012, one 2 x 5 MHz block in the 800 MHz band, in the sub-band pairs 791-796 MHz/832-837 MHz, and 8 blocks of 2 x 5 MHz in the 2600 MHz FDD band, in the sub-band pairs 2530-2570 MHz/2650-2690 MHz, remained vacant.

The Authority elaborated a questionnaire addressed to all the providers  potentially interested in acquiring usage rights over some of the 9 frequency blocks, by means of which it aims at finding the industry’s opinion on the manner and conditions of awarding these blocks, as well as the intentions of the operators active on the market or of potential new-entrants as regards their participation in a future competitive selection procedure aimed at allotting the available frequency spectrum.

Thus, the interested persons are invited to express their opinion on the necessity and opportunity of organising a competitive selection procedure with a view to allotting the frequency blocks, on the procedure duration, on the time horizon for this, and on the conditions and restrictions associated to the selection procedure. The opinions and intentions expressed on the occasion of this consultation will serve for grounding the ANCOM decision on awarding the 9 frequency blocks.

“We will offer again, to the interested persons, the opportunity to win some valuable spectrum, which will enable them to offer the Romanian market increasingly demanded mobile communications services. The usage of mobile broadband internet is on a constant rise, whereas the revenues from the provision of these services registered the most spectacular upsurge in the first half of 2013, i.e. by 45%”, Cătălin Marinescu, the ANCOM President, declared.

ANCOM invites all the interested persons to answer the questionnaire published on the  ANCOM website, here, by 18.02.2014 at the latest, by sending their answers to the ANCOM headquarters (2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3), directly to the ANCOM Registry Office or through 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.

Additional information

In August - September 2012, ANCOM organised a competitive selection procedure for the purpose of granting the usage rights for the radio frequency spectrum in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands. ANCOM applied a selection procedure that allowed simultaneous bidding for frequency blocks in all the auctioned bands and obtainning spectrum packages consisting of blocks belonging to several bands, in adequate combinations for the provision of broadband mobile communications services and public networks on a national level.   

Following the auction, Cosmote Romanian Mobile Telecommunications won 1 block in the 800 MHz band, 2 blocks in the 900 MHz band, 5 blocks in the 1800 MHz band and 2 blocks in the 2600 MHz (FDD) band, valid from 2014 through 2029, against the amount of €179,880,000 standing for the licence fee.

Orange Romania obtained 2 blocks in the 800 MHz band, 2 blocks in the 900 MHz band, 4 blocks in the 1800 MHz band and 4 blocks in the 2600 MHz (FDD) band, valid from 2014 through 2029. Furthermore, Orange Romania won short-term licences in the 900 MHz band – 5 blocks of 2 x 2,5 MHz, respectively in the 1800 MHz band – 3 blocks of 2 x 2,5 MHz, valid between 1 January 2013 and 5 April 2014, against an amount of €227,135,002.

RCS&RDS won 1 block in the 900 MHz band, valid from 2014 through 2029, for which it will pay €40,000,000 licence fee.

Vodafone Romania obtained 2 blocks in the 800 MHz band, 2 blocks in the 900 MHz band, 6 blocks in the 1800 MHz band and 1 block of 15 MHz in the 2600 MHz (TDD) band, valid from 2014 through 2029. As well, Vodafone Romania won short-term licences in the 900 MHz band – 5 blocks, respectively 3 blocks in the 1800 MHz band, valid between 1 January 2013 and 5 April 2014, against a licence fee of €228,520,034.

2K Telecom won 2 blocks of 15 MHz in the 2600 MHz (TDD) band, valid from 2014 through 2029, for €6,601,000, licence fee. 

The licence fees totalise €682,136,036.