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Digital terrestrial broadcasting in Romania

With a view to rendering more efficient the usage of the radio spectrum, which had been increasingly claimed for mobile communications, most of the member states of the International Telecommunications Union – ITU agreed to release the spectrum used by analogue terrestrial television and to allot this resource to mobile communications networks and equipment.

2006 - the Regional Radiocommunication Conference (RRC06), organised by the ITU, decided the actual replacement of analogue broadcasting by the digital broadcasting of television programmes. More than 100 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East signed the Geneva 2006 Agreement, adopting a new frequency plan for all the signatory countries, a plan that replaced the one for analogue broadcasting;
2009 – Romania ratifies the Geneva RRC06 Agreement, by Law no.378/2009 on ratifying theFinal Acts of the Regional Radiocommunication Conference for planning of the digital terrestrial broadcasting service in parts of Regions 1 and 3, in the frequency bands 174-230 MHz and 470-862 MHz, and of those for reviewing the Stockholm Agreement of 1961, signed in Geneva, on 16 June 2006;
2009, October – the Strategy regarding the digital switchover and the implementation of digital multimedia services on a national level is published in Romania;
2010, May  - the selection procedures, awarding conditions, licence fee and implementation calendar are established for 2 digital national multiplexes, by Government Decision no. 464/2010 on granting the licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial system;
2010, July - ANCOM starts the auction procedure for awarding two licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial television system. SC RCS&RDS SA, SC Romtelecom SA, Telediffusion de France (TDF), the National Broadcasting Company, SC MediaSat SRL, Osterreichische Rundfunksender GmbH&Co KG (ORS) and General Satellite Sofia purchased the Terms of Reference;
2010, August – the legal framework applicable in the procedure of awarding the licences for operating the two DTT multiplexes changed and ANCOM stops the auction in progress;
2013, July – the Romanian Government Decision no. 403/2013 on approving the Strategy regarding the digital switchover and the implementation of digital multimedia services on a national level was published;
2014, March – 2015, March - ANCOM organises three auctions for awarding digital terrestrial television multiplexes;
2015, June – terrestrial broadcasting of public and private television services in analogue system, in the 174-230 MHz band will continue, on a temporary basis, until 31 December 2016.
2016, September – analogue terrestrial broadcasting of public and private television services, in the frequency band 174-230 MHz, will continue – on a temporary basis -  until 31 December 2019, according to Ordinance no.21/2016 for extending certain deadlines provided in Government Emergency Ordinance no.18/2015 on the establishment of certain measures required for ensuring transition from analogue terrestrial television to digital terrestrial television and implementing multimedia services on a national level.

2021, November - The terrestrial radio broadcasting of public and private analogue television services ceased in Romania on May 1, 2018. In 2014, 2015 and 2017 ANCOM organized selection procedures for granting licenses for the use of frequencies for digital terrestrial television for 3 national multiplexes, 13 regional licenses and 2 local licenses. Of these, in November 2021 are still in force a license for the national multiplex of digital terrestrial television that carries public programs and which the obligation to cover 90% of the population and 80% of the national territory, a regional license (in Buzau) and a license local (in Timisoara).


Brief history
Definitions
Responsibilities
Multiplex holders
The competitive selection procedure in view of awarding the licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial television system - DECEMBER 2016
The competitive selection procedure in view of awarding the licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial television system - MARCH 2015
The competitive selection procedure in view of awarding the licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial television system - DECEMBER 2014
The competitive selection procedure in view of awarding the licences for the use of the radio spectrum in digital terrestrial television system - MARCH 2014