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

The Administrative Board of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) approved in a public session, on September 17, by separate decisions, all the documents for the auction of spectrum licenses in available frequency bands 800 MHz, e900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3400 – 3800 MHz for the provision of terrestrial cellular mobile networks and services.

The Administrative Board Decisions were drafted and approved pursuant to the Law on Electronic Communications and are targeted at ensuring the fulfillment of the Radio Frequency Spectrum Management Program for 2013 – 2020, approved by Government Decree no. 116 of 11.02.2013, with subsequent amendments, which provide for an auction to be conducted by ANRCETI in 2015, for the spectrum available in 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz 3400 – 3800 MHz bands.

By its decisions, the Board approved the number of auctioned licenses: for the use of frequencies/channels available in e900 MHz band and for the use of frequencies/channels in 2100 MHz band the number is limited to two for each band. The number of licenses for the use of frequencies/channels in 2600 MHz band is limited to three licenses and the number of licenses for the use of radio frequencies and channels in 3400 – 3800 MHz band is limited to eight.

The Board also approved the standard special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels in e900 MHz band, for the use of frequencies/channels in 2100 MHz band and the amendments to License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels for the provision of 3G mobile cellular networks and services, amendments to special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels in 2500-2690 MHz band for the provision of terrestrial mobile broadband networks and services, amendments to special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels in 3400 – 3800 MHz bands. These documents provide for the rights and obligations of the license holder.

Previously, ANRCETI Administrative Board approved the decision on limiting the number of licenses for the use of frequencies in 800 MHz band (Decision nr. 30 dated 14.07.2014 ) and the standard special License Conditions for the use of frequencies/channels of the same band (Decision nr. 31 dated 14.07.2014).

During the same meeting, the Board approved the Special Procedure for the organization and conducting auctions for multiple spectrum licenses for the provision of terrestrial mobile cellular networks and services and the Terms of Reference for the auction of licenses in 800, e900, 2100, 2600 and 3400-3800 MHz frequency bands. The Special Procedure provides for the general principles of the auction, its organization and stages, duties of auction organizer and auction commission, obligations and responsibilities of applicants, bidders and commission members, etc.

The Terms of Reference mainly contain the description of auctioned resources, the requirements for the documents to be submitted, the criteria of eligibility and estimation of candidates’ qualification data, the detailed auction procedure and other relevant information. The document also includes the starting prices for the auctioned frequency blocks, as established by Government Decree nr. 316 of 2.06.2015.

Therewith, on September 21, 2015, ANRCETI Administrative Board approved the Decision regarding the establishment of the auction commission for issuance of licenses for 800, e900, 2100, 2600 and 3400-3800 MHz frequency bands (Decision no. 61 dated 21.09.2015) and the Decision approving the text of the auction announcement. (Decision no. 62 of 21.09.2015).

The Board Decisions on limiting the number of licenses for the use of frequencies available in e900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3400 – 3800 MHz frequency bands shall become effective on the date it is published in the Official Gazette, while the other decisions entered in force on the date of their approval – 17.09.2015