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ANCOM Conducted More than 5,300 Control Actions in 2014

17.03.2015

 

The inspectors of the Romanian National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) conducted 5,363 control actions with a view to ensuring compliance with the legal provisions in the electronic communications and postal services markets, in 2014. Following these, 305 notifications were issued and 495 warnings and 93 fines were applied, amounting to RON 450,500.
In the electronic communications market, in 2014, ANCOM conducted 3,996 control actions. Following these, the inspectors sent 304 notifications and applied 374 warnings and 79 fines, amounting to a total of RON 388,000.
In order to verify whether the users of radio frequency spectrum observe the provisions of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 111/2011 on electronic communications and the ANCOM regulations, 1,569 control actions were conducted and 84 notifications were issued. Moreover, 159 warnings and 11 contravention fines were applied, amounting to RON 23,600. The main breaches sanctioned were failure to comply with the provisions under authorisation documents (licences and assignment authorisations), and misoperation of radiocommunications stations. 
851 control actions were conducted on the providers of sound and television broadcasting services, in order to check compliance with the provisions of the Audiovisual Law. Following the control service, 43 warnings were issued and 10 contravention fines were applied, amounting to RON 50,000.
CATV network providers were envisaged in 667 control actions, following which ANCOM sent 130 notifications for the providers to offer a viewpoint on the assessed breaches. Subsequently, 90 warnings and 46 contravention fines were applied, amounting to RON 254,400.
During 2014, ANCOM conducted 148 actions on the providers of fixed and mobile telephony services, following which 77 notifications were issued. Moreover, the Authority applied 68 warnings and 9 contravention fines amounting to RON 45,000.
In the market of data transmissions and internet access services, ANCOM conducted 761 control actions, and following the assessed breaches 13 notifications were issued, by which the concerned providers were to submit a viewpoint within a certain term. Furthermore, 14 warnings and 3 contravention fines were applied amounting to RON 15,000.
“In 2014, ANCOM’s Executive Division for Monitoring and Control conducted a number of control campaigns  envisaging the providers in breach of the information obligations provided by the law. There are providers who modify their data registered with the National Office of the Trade Registry without notifying ANCOM or who do not report statistical data or their revenue and investment for 2013, as provided by the law”, declared Cristin POPA, executive director within ANCOM. Having assessed these breaches, in 2014 ANCOM issued 469 decisions for the suspension or withdrawal of the services provision right or, respectively, applied administrative fines.
Another ample control campaign conducted in 2014 envisaged the providers who had the obligation to report the localities where they actually provided networks or services during 1 July and 31 December 2013. Out of the total number of sanctions enforced in 2014 in the electronic communications sector, this campaign totaled 70 notifications, following which the Authority applied 61 warnings and 9 contravention fines amounting to RON 45,000.
In the postal services market, in 2014, ANCOM conducted 1,367 control actions, issued one notification and applied 121 warnings and 14 fines, amounting to RON 62,500. 516 of the control actions envisaged the National Company Romanian Post (CNPR) as a universal service provider. Following these control actions, ANCOM applied 14 warnings and one fine amounting to RON 5,000. The most frequently assessed breaches regarded failure to comply with the obligations under the general authorisation regime.