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) has placed on its Web page for Public Consultations the Draft (doc. in state language) administrative Board Decision on approving special license conditions for the use of radio frequencies/channels in 2500-2690 MHz frequency band. The consultation will last through August 17, 2012, this being the deadline for providing recommendations to the document.

The draft document sets forth, pursuant to art. 24 paragraph (1) and (3) of the Law on Electronic Communications, the conditions for the use of radio frequencies in the 2500-2690 MHz band, 2500-2520/2620-2640 MHz; 2520-2540/2640-2660 MHz and 2540-2560/2660-2680 MHz sub-bands, of 40 MHz bandwidth, for the provision of public mobile terrestrial electronic communications networks and services with broadband radio access, in LTE (Long Term Evolution) standards, known as 4G services. The license conditions are integral part of the 4G license and contain requirements to be strictly observed by future license holders.

Before December 31, 2012, according to Government Decree no. 365 of 06.06.2012, ANRCETI will issue, directly, a license for the use of the mentioned frequencies to every one of the three providers (JSC „Orange Moldova”, JSC „Moldcell” and JSC „Moldtelecom”) that already have built networks and are providing public mobile networks and services in the Republic of Moldova, under due authorizations. The licenses will be issued at the request of these providers against the 10 million euro fee, fixed by the Government in the mentioned Decree. The applying provider will be granted a license, accompanied by license conditions which are to be approved by ANRCETI Administrative Board Decision.   

The draft license conditions provide for the rights of the license holders, their obligations in terms of frequency use, territory coverage with 4G network and services, provision of 4G networks and services, ensuring the quality of these services, national roaming requirements, access of mobile virtual providers to their networks and the conditions for granting the license. According to these, the license is granted for 15 years, is valid on the entire territory of Moldova and does not have territorial limits.

According to the draft document, the license holder has the right to use one of the sub-bands 2500-2520/2620-2640 MHz; 2520-2540/2640-2660 MHz and 2540-2560/2660-2680 MHz, of 40 MHz total bandwidth, from the 2500-2690 MHz frequency band, for the provision of a public 4G mobile communications with broadband radio access, in LTE standard on the territory of Moldova. Upon installing the 4G network, the license holder has the right to use the infrastructure and elements of public 3G mobile networks (WCDMA, CDMA2000 or GSM/GPRS/EDGE), to install and operate, within the 4G network, microwave links (relays) in compliance with the applicable license conditions.

According to the Explanatory Note (doc. in state language), the authors of the draft document qualify the license conditions as non-discriminatory, proportionate and objectively justified in relation to the type of network and services, which will be provided by 4G license holders. 

Interested stakeholders are welcome to provide comments and proposals on the draft document, in written form, to: 134, Stefan cel Mare bd., MD-2012, Chisinau, by fax: 022- 222-885 or e-mail: office@anrceti.md. Telephone: 022-251-312.

July 26, 2012