Romania's telecom market regulator (ANCOM) published on December 4 for public consultation its action plan for 2021.

According to the document, it wants to organize the auction for 5G frequency bands in the second quarter of 2021, News.ro reported.

The auction was initially supposed to take place this year but was delayed mainly due to legislation issues as the US has been pressing to remove Chinese groups from the list of potential technology suppliers.

The minimum amount estimated to be cashed by the Government was EUR 580 million for all the frequency bands.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications published on September 2 a new version of the bill transposing into law the 5G Memorandum with the USA.

In essence, the bill sets tight - yet subject to rather wide interpretations - restrictions for the suppliers of equipment used in 5G networks.

"By the end of the first quarter of next year (2021), the authority intends to adopt the decision on organizing the selection procedure for granting rights to use the radio spectrum […], which involves establishing the conditions for granting the rights of use and the rules for carrying out the selection procedure. This action will be followed by the actual development of the selection procedure for granting the rights to use the frequencies, established to take place in the second quarter of next year," ANCOM said in a press release.

(Photo: Suttipun Degad/ Dreamstime)

andrei@romania-insider.com