Today, ANCOM has submitted to public consultation the draft decision on the allocation and use of national short numbers for value-added services of general interest and the draft decision on certain measures in the numbering resources and technical resources field.
Thus, ANCOM proposes completing the National Numbering Plan by opening a new sub-domain of national short numbers, 14vxy-type, for the value-added services of general interest and submits to public consultation the draft decision on their allocation and use.
According to this draft decision, the national short numbers for value-added services of general interest will be allocated to the providers of publicly available electronic communications services, which may use them for the provision of their own services, or may assign them to other providers of value-added services of general interest.
The types of services the providers will be able to offer by means of these numbers represent an extension of, and a completion to, the types of services which can be offered by means of the national short numbers for services of public interest at national level. Hence, beside the access to information from various areas of activity, the providers will be able to provide also consultancy services of a technical-professional nature, respectively services facilitating the expression of options and opinions or the making of donations or payment of certain services etc. The use of these numbers for the provision of adult entertainment services or services which can currently be provided by means of other short numbers (e.g. directory enquiry services, harmonised services of social value or services of public interest at national level) will not be allowed.
The national short numbers for value-added services of general interest are allocated, individually, by means of the Licence for the use of numbering resources (LURN) exclusively to the providers of publicly available electronic communications services.
With a view to protect the end-users’ interests, ANCOM proposes limiting the retail tariff charged for initiating calls or sending SMS/MMS messages to the national short numbers for value-added services of general interest.
As well, the Authority proposes a series of amendments and completions to the procedure of granting licences for the use of numbering resources (LURN) and of obtaining the prior consent in case of transferring the licences for the use of numbering resources, in view of improving the efficiency level of these processes. Also, the new draft envisages updating the provisions regarding the routing numbers, as a result of amending the technical procedures employed by the providers for routing the calls, after the number portability implementation.
In addition, the Authority proposes that the maximum porting term be reduced from 10 to 3 working days. By reducing this term, Romania will place itself among the EU member states with the shortest porting term, the European average in 2009 being 6.5 days for fixed numbers and 4.1 for mobile numbers.
The draft decisions are available for consultation here. The interested persons are invited to send their comments and suggestions, by 24.01.2011, at the ANCOM headquarters in 2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3, or directly to the Registry. Comments and recommendations may also be sent by fax to +40 732 845 402 or by e-mail to consultare@ancom.org.ro.