National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology of the Republic of Moldova

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) published on its website, for public consultation, four draft Administrative Board Decisions with reference to the license auctions for band 790-862 MHz band, conventionally called 800 MHz band, and licenses 880-890/925-935 bands, conventionally called e900 MHz band, to be used in the provision of public terrestrial mobile electronic communications networks and services. The consultations will run through 22 July 2015, which is the deadline for recommendations on the proposed draft documents.

The first document refers to the license auction for the use of frequencies from 801­811/842­852 MHz sub-band, 790­862 MHz band, specifically to the Terms of Reference for this auction. The other three documents refer to the auction for the use of e900 spectrum, specifically the limitation of the number of licenses for the use of 880­-890/925­-935 MHz bands, approval of standard Special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels in 880­-890/925­-935 MHz band and Terms of Reference for the license auction for 880­-890/925­-935 MHz spectrum to be used in the provision of public terrestrial mobile electronic communications networks and services.

The draft documents subject to public consultations have been developed pursuant to the Law on Electronic Communications and with the view of ensuring the implementation of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Management Program for 2013 ­ 2020, approved by Government decree no. 116 of 11.02.2013, with subsequent amendments.

With reference to the license auction for the use of 801-­811/842­-852 MHz sub-band, 790-­862 MHz band, Explanatory Note no.1 provides that the limitation of the number of licenses and the Special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels in 790­-862 MHz band were established by ANRCETI Administrative Board Decisions no. 30 of 14.07.2014 and no. 31 of 14.07.2014.

By limiting the number of licenses for the use of 880­-890/925­-935 MHz frequencies, ANRCETI proposes that one license for sub-bands 880­-885/925­-930 MHz and one for sub-bands 885­-890/930­935 MHz (in FDD regime – frequency division duplex) be put up for the auction. The minimum bid for any of the auctioned licenses mentioned above was fixed by Government Decree no. 316 of 02.06.2015.

According to Explanatory Note no. 2, the draft standard Special License Conditions for the use of 880-­890/925­-935 MHz provides for the rights and liabilities of the license holder, the technical conditions of the allocated spectrum, the coverage obligations in terms of population and territory, etc. The draft Terms of Reference sets forth the minimum technical, administrative, commercial and financial requirements that bidders have to assume if nominated as winner, as well as the terms of submitting the bids.

Interested persons are invited to send comments and proposals for the publicly-consulted draft documents, in written form, to postal address: 134 Stefan cel Mare, bd, MD­2012, Chisinău, by fax: 022­222­885 or e­mail: office@anrceti.md. Contact phone number: 022­251­312.

July 7, 2015