30.03.2020

Considering the adoption of the Government Decision setting the amount of the licence fee for the extension of the frequency usage licences in the 2100 MHz band owned by Orange, Vodafone, RCS&RDS and Telekom Romania Mobile Communications, and upon the payment of this fee to the state budget by the first two operators mentioned above, ANCOM will issue the licences about to expire in the next period. In the case of RCS & RDS and Telekom Romania Mobile Communications, the licence fee is to be paid by 30 November 2021 at the latest, and subsequently their licences will be extended. The four licences will be valid until 31 December 2031. The fees have been established in proportion to the duration of the extension: the RON equivalent of EUR30 million for each of the Orange and Vodafone licences and the RON equivalent of EUR25 million for each of the RCS & RDS and Telekom Romania Mobile Communications licences. Licence fees are paid to the state budget.

Use of the 2100 MHz band

Orange, Telekom and Vodafone use the 2100 MHz band for the provision of UMTS/3G networks and services, whereas RCS & RDS uses this band for the provision of UMTS/3G and LTE/4G networks and services.

According to the latest statistical data of ANCOM, at mid-2019, there were 19.6 million mobile internet connections in Romania, of which 84% were 3G and 4G, and 22.3 million active mobile telephony users.

Fees for the extension of usage rights in the 2100 MHz band

The fee for the extension of the frequency usage licences held by Orange and Vodafone – which can benefit from licence extension from April 2020 – has been set as the RON equivalent of EUR30 million per licence. The fee for the extension of the licences held by RCS & RDS and Telekom Romania Mobile Communications - which may be extended from January 2022 - has been set as the RON equivalent of EUR25 million.

Licence fees will be part of the state budget.