Press Releases

ANCOM Launches for Public Consultation the 3.4 – 3.8 GHz Auction Documentation

14.05.2015

 

ANCOM launches for public consultation the documentation for organising a competitive selection procedure with a view to granting new usage rights for the radio spectrum in the 3410-3600 MHz and 3600-3800 MHz bands. The winners of the usage rights will be able to use these bands for the provision of broadband wireless data transmission and internet access services, at a national level.

As established in the Strategy and action plan for the Implementation and Development of broadband communications systems at a national level, in the 3400-3800 MHz band, for the period 2015-2025, adopted by ANCOM President’s Decision no. 390/2015, the Authority intends to organise one selection procedure for the two frequency bands, which means that each interested operator should submit an initial bid, indicating the number of frequency blocks it intends to purchase in each of the two available bands. The initial bids will show whether the demand exceeds the offer in certain bands, whether the offer exceeds the demand or whether the demand equals the offer. Based on the demand, ANCOM will organise primary auction rounds and an allottment round, in order to establish the position, within each of the bands, of the frequency blocks won by each bidder.
ANCOM will auction out 16 paired blocks (2x5 MHz bandwidth) to be awarded on a national level in the 3.4 - 3.6 GHz band and 36 unpaired blocks (5 MHz bandwidth) to be awarded on a national level in the 3.6 – 3.8 GHz band. The new usage rights shall enter into force from the 1st of January 2016, for a 10-years period. The reserve price for each frequency block in the two bands equals the minimal value of the licence fee, which will be established by Government decision.
An auction applicant must be a Romanian or foreign legal person (company), with an average turnover for the past year or, as applicable, with a subscribed and paid share capital of minimum RON 2,000,000. Such an applicant shall not be part of other applicant’s group and shall not be under insolvency or liquidation procedures. Also, it must prove the accomplishment of its payment obligations to ANCOM, to the state budget, to the social insurance budget and to the special funds budget etc.
The holders of the usage rights won in the selection procedure will have the obligation to put into operation, anywhere on the national territory, 25 base stations within one year from the entry into force of the licence, 50 – within two years and 100 – within four years from the entry into force of the licence.
Currently, there are seven licences in force in the 3410-3600 MHz band, held by Orange România, UPC România, Vodafone România and 2K Telecom. All of them have been issued for the provision of public electronic communications networks and services on a national level, by means of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Nomadic Wireless Access (NWA) applications. There is one licence awarded in the 3600-3800 MHz band, to the National Company “Radiocomunicaţii”, for the provision of public electronic communications networks and services by means of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) applications on a national level.
The auction documentation is available, in Romanian, here. The interested persons are invited to send their opinions and suggestions, by 04.06.2015, to the ANCOM headquarters at 2, Delea Nouă Street, Bucharest 3, or directly to the ANCOM Registry Office or by means of the Authority’s regional offices. Comments may also be sent by fax to +40.372.845.402 or by e-mail to consultare@ancom.org.ro.
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