29 September 2015
September 29, 2015
The Romanian National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) published, for public consultation, a document presenting the Authority’s preliminary outlook on the developments in the electronic communications sector in Romania up to 2020 and on the Authority’s envisaged response to these developments.
ANCOM’s initiative, available – momentarily in Romanian only – here, outlines the main elements identified following a prospective strategic analysis aimed at ensuring the competitive functioning of digital communications in Romania to the benefit of end-users, during 2016-2020. This is a discussion paper, not a draft strategy as such, and marks the first stage of an analysis and dialogue process that will help the Authority shape, together with all the stakeholders in the communications field, a vision for the period 2016-2020, as well as identify priorities and directions of action that are to stand out on ANCOM’s roadmap.
ANCOM deems that, although the demand for digital services will remain uneven and deeply heterogeneous in Romania within the analysis’ timeframe, fixed internet will continue providing superior transfer rates, the currently extensive mobile internet growth will become intensive, based on the traffic growth induced by tariff decrease and quality improvements, while the boundaries between the traditional communications services and the ”content” services or ”applications” will gradually fade out, generating new regulatory challenges.
Moreover, Romania is expected to see the continued roll-out of high-performance networks that rapidly incorporate technological progress and aim to all-IP, whereas guaranteeing net neutrality will prompt innovation and the development of new business models, to the users’ benefit.
ANCOM’s initiative identified the following strategic priorities: promote network competitiveness, maximize service availability and capitalize the benefits of IP networks. With a view to carrying out these priorities, ANCOM identified, on a preliminary basis, a set of possible actions, measures and action directions, detailed in the consultation document.
The public consultation on this document will run from 29 September to 3 November 2015. Interested persons are invited to send their comments and suggestions to the ANCOM headquarters (2 Delea Noua Street, sector 3, Bucharest), directly to the Registry office or to the Authority’s regional divisions. Comments may also be sent by fax, to +40 372 845 402 or by e-mail, to consultare@ancom.org.ro.
The contributions received following this ample public consultation process will be presented and discussed during a public event, on 17 November 2015. For participation in this event, please register here no later than 3 November 2015. Seats are limited and will be occupied in order of the registration.
ANCOM’s strategic analysis will continue with a position paper, which will be launched for public consultation in Q I 2016, thus enabling the completion of a strategy document in the first half of 2016.