ANCOM drafts general authorisation amendments

Romania’s telecoms industry regulator the National Authority for Management and Regulation of Communications (ANCOM) has issued a draft decision on amendments to the country’s general authorisation framework under which would-be operators of electronic communications networks and/or services notify and register details of their activities with the watchdog. ANCOM announced that alterations were made following consultation with industry players, to comply with the latest provisions of electronic communications legislation, and largely relate to issues including ‘security and integrity of networks and services, providing networks and electronic communications services in special situations, numbering resource requirements, technical requirements for retransmission services/broadcasting and content description of networks and services.’ The regulator says the draft ensures ‘a higher degree of safety and transparency’ and increases the accountability of providers in terms of security and integrity, by obliging them to inform users about ‘security incidents’ and making it mandatory for all providers to establish communications with public authorities for disaster management purposes. The draft also opens the possibility that registered (authorised) providers will have the right to use certain numbering resources without a separate application. Regarding retransmission of audio/visual media, in order to protect the end-user, providers must agree to a set of industry-specific technical parameters. The decisions await submission for publication to the Official Gazette.