Today, July 10, 2006, ANRC has communicated Vodafone Romania and Orange Romania the obligation to cut down their interconnection rates by 38%, following a glide path of 4 stages (each of them providing for a reduction of 11.3% on average), from September 1, 2006 to January 1, 2009. The tariff level at the end of this glide path will reach 5.03 Euro cents per minute (as compared to 8.13 Euro cents per minute, at present) and it covers the effective costs, while allowing for a reasonable rate of return on capital invested .
The maximum levels of the interconnection tariffs communicated by ANRC are available here.
The measure adopted by ANRC ensures the cost-orientation of the interconnection tariffs, which levels the competitive premises for all the telephony operators and prevents operators with significant market power from obtaining windfall gains.
„Cost-orienting the interconnection tariffs has been an extensive and complex process, which we approached from all angles. Our decision is based on minute analyses of the data, on permanent feedback from the industry during the consultation period, as well as on the best practices in the European Union. The new interconnection tariffs will create conditions for the reduction of tariffs for calls between different networks, to the benefit of the Romanian users and of competition, in general”, the ANRC President, Mr. Dan Georgescu, declared.
In order to determine the value of interconnection tariffs, ANRC, assisted by a specialized consultant, developed a technical-economic cost calculation model that takes into account the costs for the installation, operation and maintenance of an efficient mobile public telephone network. The principles used in the model elaboration were publicly debated during 2003; the model was elaborated between October 2004 – April 2005, adjusted based on suggestions and relevant data submitted by the operators and, subsequently, proposed for public consultation until May 8, 2006.
With a view to reaching a correct decision, ANRC maintained contact with the two mobile operators and with the other market players throughout the process, analysing and taking into account the arguments on each network feature transmitted during the bi-lateral discussions and the public consultation. As a result of these complex consultations, the final version of the calculation model on the basis of which ANRC established the tariffs communicated today includes adjustments at the level of structure and hypotheses, thus guaranteeing the achievement of the two objectives: promoting competition and allowing a reasonable rate of return on the capital invested by the two mobile operators.