“ANRCTI can launch the process of granting the licences for the introduction of BWA systems in Romania, allowing for the countrywide implementation of certain technologies, such as WiMax”, the ANRCTI President, Mr. Dan Georgescu, declared upon the publication – in the Romanian Official Journal of Friday, July 11 – of the Government Decision on the establishment of the licence fee for granting the right to use the radio frequencies within the 3600–3657 MHz and 3700-3757 MHz ranges. The licence fee was set up by the Government, amounting to the RON equivalent of EUR 7,500,000.
Following the selection procedure to be organised by ANRCTI, two licences for the use of radio frequencies will be granted, in the 3600–3657 MHz band, respectively in the 3700-3757 MHz band, for the purpose of providing public electronic communications networks and publicly available electronic communications services and for implementing BWA (Broadband Wireless Access) systems. A third licence will be granted to the National Radiocommunications Company, Radiocom. The costs of Radiocom’s vacating the radio frequencies are to be covered from up to 50% of the licence fee amounts, the remaining 50% being directed, as income, to the state budget.
By the end of this week, ANRCTI will submit to public consultation the draft decision establishing the details of the comparative selection procedure, as well as the amount of the licence fee to be paid by the National Radiocommunications Company the use of the radio spectrum within 3657-3685 MHz and 3757-3785 MHz ranges. The fee due by Radiocom shall be calculated in direct proportion with the validity period of the usage right, as well as with the bandwidth allotted.
ANRCTI estimates that the process of granting the licences for the use of the 3600–3657 MHz and 3700-3757 MHz frequency ranges will take approximately 6 months from the inception date. The implementation of Broadband Wireless Access systems at a national level will contribute to removing development barriers in the broadband sector, to ensuring broadband Internet access in the disadvantaged, poor or isolated areas, as well as to the effective use of the radio spectrum for the provision of broadband communications.