23.05.2019

The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications of Romania (ANCOM) launches for public consultation a draft decision proposing a review of the measures meant to ensure the access of the persons with disabilities to telephone and internet access services, which should be adapted to their specific needs and provided in conditions equivalent to those applicable for a majority of the users. ”Telecom offers must meet the users’ specific needs. Those for persons with disabilities must be tailored so as to include services meant to ensure better communication efficiency, such as mobile internet access services, since they can substitute video call, SMS and even voice services. Technology is in perpetual progress, and the benefits of such progress must be available to all the users. That is why, ANCOM proposes higher amounts of consumption resources to be included in the telephony and internet service offers designed for persons with disabilities”, declared Sorin Grindeanu, President of ANCOM.

Proposed amendments

ANCOM proposes reviewing the tariff plans for people with disabilities i.e. increasing the number of minutes or SMS, as well as the data volume included in these tariff plans, above the levels set in 2015 by ANCOM President's decision so that the implementation of these amendments could contribute to maximizing service availability for this category of users.

Thus, the Authority proposes to require the mobile communications service providers to provide offers containing a minimum set of monthly benefits, available exclusively at national level, for end-users with hearing and/or speech impairment: an unlimited number of on-net SMS and 300 off-net SMS at a recommended tariff of 4 euro/month, including VAT. Moreover, upon the users’ request, providers will make available a minimum data volume of 3 GB, as well as an unlimited amount of data for running dedicated speech to sign language translation apps, at a recommended rate of 2 euro/month, including VAT, totalling a recommended tariff plan of 6 euro/month, including VAT. People with hearing and/or speech impairment can currently benefit from monthly tariff plans with an unlimited number of on-net SMS, at least 150 SMS on national networks and, upon request, minimum 300 MB for national mobile internet.

For end-users with sight impairment, ANCOM proposes that the tariff plans offered by mobile communications service providers should contain the following set of minimum monthly benefits, available exclusively at national level: 2,000 on-net minutes and 500 off-net minutes at a recommended tariff of 2 euro/month, including VAT and, on the user’s request, 3 GB mobile data at a recommended tariff of 2 euro/month, including VAT, totalling a recommended tariff of 4 euro/month, including VAT. Currently, people with sight impairment can benefit from offers with at least 300 national minutes and, on request, at least 300 MB/month for national mobile internet.

ANCOM proposes to remove the existing obligation of the fixed-line electronic communications service providers in respect of their offers available to disabled persons, given that the analysis carried out by the Authority has shown that the providers are currently making available such offers in configurations and at tariffs similar to the regulated ones. The Authority will monitor market developments and especially the evolution of commercially available offers, to analyse the level of equivalence of access to electronic communications services available to persons with disabilities.

Background

In 2017, ANCOM conducted two market surveys on a national level aimed at obtaining relevant information on the access level of persons with hearing or sight impairment to electronic communications services provided at fixed and mobile locations, as well as on the usage behaviour regarding these services, including as far as their substitutability is concerned. 

The surveys have shown that the best known and the most appreciated measures designed for disabled end-users, set out by the current legislation, are: the users’ possibility to return the equipment (53%), the possibility to interrogate the cost-control service using audio messages (43 %), handling requests/complaints by a designated person (41%) and access to customer service by methods specific for persons with disabilities (41%). Concerning the usage degree, at least 21% of the respondents answered that they spent much of these benefits throughout a year.

Public consultation

The Draft Decision amending ANCOM President’s Decision no. 160/2015 on setting out measures designed for disabled end-users is available, in Romanian, here. The interested persons are invited to send their comments and suggestions, by 24.06.2019, at the ANCOM headquarters in 2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3, directly to the ANCOM Registry Office or by means of 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.