Romanian telecoms regulator the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has confirmed that it is extending a public consultation related to the possible award of 5G-suitable frequencies. Announcing the extension, the watchdog noted that the ongoing consultation seeks to determine the ‘need and opportunity to organise a competitive procedure with a view to awarding the spectrum use rights in the new frequency bands harmonised on a European level for broadband mobile communications systems’. Specifically, it is examining the plans for multiple bands, including: 694MHz-790MHz, 791MHz-796MHz/832MHz-837MHz, 1452MHz-1492MHz, 2530MHz-2570MHz/2650MHz-2690MHz, 3410MHz-3420MHz/3510MHz-3520MHz and 3450MHz-3465 MHz/3550MHz-3565MHz.
ANCOM says it is looking to gauge how interested market players are in acquiring new rights of use to the bands in question, while also examining the possible timeframe for any spectrum sale. In addition, it says it is looking to clarify a series of technical and economic aspects regarding access to the frequencies, as well as ‘some elements that could influence results, such as the selection procedure design, the frequency bands auctioned together, the optimum spectrum amounts available to be acquired by one operator and certain obligations included in licences’. As per the revised timeframe for the consultation, submissions are now being accepted until 11 August 2017.
