Today, 3 December 2004, ANRC has designated, following the open public tender, the first universal service provider that will provide access to the public telephone network, at a fixed location, by means of telecenters – S.C. Orange Romania S.A.
S.C. Orange Romania S.A. has submitted tenders for the installation of telecenters in the following 5 localities:
1. Bârla, Arges county;
2. Breaza, Bistrita Nasaud county;
3. Colacu, Dâmbovita county;
4. Poiana Marului, Suceava county;
5. Raciu, Dâmbovita county.
The auction for the 5 telecenters was closed at the total value of ROL4.474 billion representing the net cost of the provision of services in the area of universal service. This amount will be transferred to the universal service provider, upon request, after each telecenter is installed and becomes operational, in accordance with the compensation mechansim established by ANRC.
According to the terms of reference of the auction, the universal service provider shall endow the telecenters with at least 2 computers with operational access to the Internet, one facsimile equipment, one UPS device and 2 telephones.
After the procedure for the designation by open public auction of universal service providers who have the obligation to provide access to the public telephone network, at a fixed location, by means of telecenters, was initiated, 11 terms of reference were purchased and ANRC received, prior to 20 November 2004 (the deadline for submitting the tenders), tenders from S.C. Orange Romania S.A. and the National Radiocommunications Company S.A. As regards the tender submitted by the National Radiocommunications Company S.A. for the installation of telecenters in other 3 localities, ANRC requested a series of clarifications in order to be able to establish if this company fulfills all criteria for being designated a universal service provider.
The localities comprised by this auction procedure, for which no tenders have been received, shall be included in the future projects of ANRC regarding the designation of universal service providers. During 2005, ANRC will organise auctions for another series of localities as regards the provision of access to the public telephone network, at a fixed location, by means of telecenters, as well as the access to public pay telephones.