ANRCTI Priorities in 2008

The National Regulatory Authority for Communications and Information Technology (ANRCTI) has published, on its website, the 2008 Action Plan, elaborated, for the first time, based on a Strategy Paper for the next three years. During this first year of strategy-based regulation, ANRCTI will focus on reviewing the relevant markets in the electronic communications sector and will aim at the following main objectives: promote competition and the end-users’ interests in the sectors of electronic communications and of postal services, promote the use of information technology and improve the dialogue with the industry and with the end-users.

The review of the relevant markets in the electronic communications sector – one of ANRCTI’s key gears in pursuit of promoting competition in the electronic communications sector – shall span the whole year 2008 and shall involve the identification and analysis of relevant markets, as well as the establishment of remedies for the competition deficiencies assessed in these markets. For the first time, this procedure will include a European consultation, which consists of notifying the European Commission and the relevant regulatory authorities in the other Member States as regards the defined relevant markets, the operators identified as having significant power on these markets and the remedies envisaged by the Authority.

Another ANRCTI project to be completed this year, thus enhancing competition in the telephone services market, is number portability, which will be available starting from October 21. From then on, the fixed and mobile telephony users will be able to keep their telephone number when shifting to another service provider.

Furthermore, in view of fostering competition in the mobile telephony market, ANRCTI will grant, during 2008, a new licence for mobile communications in the frequency bands 410-415/420-425 MHz.

The objective of promoting the end-users’ interest remains one of ANRCTI’s concerns in 2008, when the Authority will continue the implementation of universal service by designating the universal service providers to install 172 new telecentres. Special attention shall be granted to implementing the directory enquiry service and to making available directories of subscribers by designating a universal service provider for such services.

ANRCTI will build user awareness by means of two information campaigns on the new dialling pattern, upon closing the National Numbering Plan, as well as on number portability.

Promoting the use of information technology is also a priority for ANRCTI, the Authority envisaging the adoption of a series of regulations in the field, among which: a decision on the terms and procedure for approving the certification agencies in charge of checking the conformity of the secured electronic signature devices, a decision on the technical and methodological rules for the enforcement of Law no. 135/2007 on electronic document archiving and a decision on the methodological rules for the authorisation of the data centres used by the electronic archiving providers. Moreover, ANRCTI intends to elaborate the regulatory framework for the activity of managing the .ro domain and to review the technical and methodological rules for the enforcement of Law no.589/2004 on electronic notary services.

ANRCTI’s 2008 Action Plan is available here. The interested persons are invited to send their comments and suggestions by March 26, 2008, to the ANRCTI headquarters (14 Libertatii Blvd., sector 5, Bucharest) or directly to the ANRCTI registration office, as well as to its territorial offices in the closest county capital city. Comments may be sent, as well, by fax, to +40 21 307 54 02, or by e-mail.