Following the publication in the Romanian Official Journal of the Government Decision no.833/2010 on amending the Strategy concerning the transition from analogue terrestrial to digital terrestrial television and the implementation of digital multimedia services at national level, the normative act which changes the legal framework applicable to the procedure for granting licences in view of operating the two digital terrestrial television multiplexes, ANCOM ceases the ongoing tenders for granting the aforementioned multiplexes. ANCOM was not consulted during the elaboration of the abovementioned normative act.
As a result of the previous Government Decision, issued as of May 2010, ANCOM was carrying out an international tender for granting the licences for the first two digital terrestrial television multiplexes in which seven companies from Romania and abroad were interested to participate. ANCOM underlines that by means of the first two tendered multiplexes a reasonable simulcast period was to be ensured, their putting into operation not entailing and not depending on the analogue signal switch-off.
ANCOM has sent today notice letters to all seven buyers of the Terms of References regarding the need to call off the tenders, also announcing them that the Authority will return the amounts paid for purchasing the respective Terms of References. Further, ANCOM expects the issuance within 45 days of the new government decision which shall establish the digital switchover calendar, as well as the issuance of the other normative acts which are to establish the new tender procedure, the manner in which the licences will be granted, and the licence fee.
“This postponement renders Romania unable to begin developing new broadband mobile communications services and making investments in the field, given that the digital dividend is a key factor for encouraging the economic growth”, Catalin Marinescu, the president of ANCOM, stated.
The digital switchover enables the release of a significant part of the spectrum – i.e. the digital dividend – by means of which users will benefit from access to better and more affordable wireless broadband services, as well as from a variety of innovative wireless services. The postponement of the digital switchover and, implicitly, of the spectrum release leads to delaying the launch of certain broadband services in Romania and may create the premises for widening the gap between Romania and the other Member States of the European Union as regards broadband Internet access services.