Vodafone and Orange oppose ANCOM decision to clear spectrum within one year

Newsroom 06/12/2011 | 18:16

Telecom operators Orange and Vodafone contest the measure ruled by telecom regulator ANCOM according to which they must clear a part of the 900 MHz spectrum in one year, asking for a prolongation of the term.

The telecom authority wants the two operators to clear 2.5 MHz of the 900 MHz bandwidth that is used for providing 3G services.

This follows an independent study ordered by ANCOM which says that another telecom operator, RCS&RDS is at a competitive disadvantage compared to the operators that have spectrum in the 900 MHz band. The cleared frequencies will be attributed in a bidding that will take place next year.

“We are very surprised by the ANCOM proposal to free 2.5 MHz of the GSM spectrum in the 900 MHz within just one year. Beyond the lack of predictability this measure brings, such a decision would have a major financial impact on our business. In the new spectrum conditions, we will be compelled to rebuild our voice network in the bandwidth 1800/2100 at very high costs. Also, such a decision will have a significant impact on clients because most of the terminals that now exist on the market run in the 900 MHz bandwidth and not in the 1800/2100 MHz. Let us hope that the final ANCOM decision will take into consideration both the interest of the consumers as well as the implications on our business,” is the official position of Vodafone Romania.

“This one-year period is a measure which is impossible to fulfill from the technical viewpoint and we will bring all the necessary arguments so that the term will be extended,” said Dorin OdiaÅ£iu, marketing manager of Orange Romania. “The same happened in Italy, but operators had between 3-5 years at their disposal, in France they had over 5 years, in Switzerland nearly three years and in Spain between 3-5 years,” said Odiatiu during the Gala of Mobile Communications.
Otilia Haraga