Digi Mobil. Orange, Vodafone, Telekom, I am at the center of an extremely important warning launched in Romania for all customers, and unfortunately it is something that everyone needs to know at the moment. More precisely, you surely know about GEO 114/2018, which turned the entire telecom environment upside down, well, unfortunately its effects are far from over, and Digi Mobil, and the rest of the telecom companies, will be seriously affected in the following months.
Digi Mobil. According according to ANCOM's vice-president, Bogdan Iana, the launch of 5G networks in Romania will only be completed next year if GEO 114/2018 is not amended by the Romanian Government, because the minimum price of the frequencies cannot be established. ANCOM must be able to impose the minimum starting price for the frequencies that will be used for the 5G networks in Romania, and GEO 114/2018 does not allow them to do this now, so Digi Mobil, plus the rest of the companies, will have problems with the launch of the 5G networks.
Digi Mobile. Orange, Vodafone, Telekom, IMPORTANT WARNING in Romania
Digi Mobil. Considering that the parliamentary vacation starts next week, the Romanian Government has only a few days left in which to issue an emergency ordinance to correct the current situation. If he does not do this now, then until the fall things will remain the same, and ANCOM will not be able to publish the specifications for the 5G frequency auction, and Digi Mobil, together with the rest of the telecom industry, will not be able to buy the licenses for the future 5G networks.
"Without the amendment of GEO 114, we cannot, for example, propose a starting price of the auction, an essential aspect when drawing up the specifications of the auction. During the parliamentary vacation, the Executive can only issue simple ordinances, not emergency ones. Parliament is in extraordinary session next week and the Government has the possibility to issue an emergency ordinance to amend the provisions of GEO 114/2018. If the draft normative act is not approved, the discussion can only be resumed in September, which will delay the tender a lot compared to the calendar that ANCOM agreed with the industry. Basically, the auction will end in the first part of 2020."
Digi Mobil. Now you are probably wondering why there is still a need for an auction for new frequencies since there are already two 5G networks launched in Romania, even available for customers. Well, the current 5G networks were launched on the old frequencies, which the operators had, and they limit the speeds that can be reached by customers, so it is necessary for Digi Mobil, including the rest of the telecom environment, to take over the new frequencies specially prepared for 5G.
Digi Mobil. Having said that, it is possible that until 2020 we will have limited 5G services from mobile operators because the Romanian Government has not corrected a problem it created in 2018.
