Romania’s Digitization Strategy

The 5G National Strategy that the Romanian Government plans to draw up needs 9 billion euro worth of funds over the next 10 years

Daniela Budu, 31.07.2018, 12:25

The
national strategy for the next generation of mobile networks – 5G – will be
drawn up by the end of the year. Also by
the end of the year Romania will have a smart city strategy, according to the Romanian
Minister of Communications and Information Society Bogdan Cojocaru. Minister
Cojocaru has presented an activity report after six months in office and the ministry’s
projects for the upcoming period. The line ministry has so far initiated
projects running on European funds amounting to 310 million Euros, out of the
total 530 millions earmarked until 2020 under the Competitiveness Operational
Program.

Bogdan Cojocaru has also said that, in the same period, 500 regulatory
documents supporting those who operate in the field have been adopted. Thus,
over 520 towns an villages, out of the total of 720 that were eligible, have
been connected to high speed internet under the Ro-Net program. Bogdan Cojocaru
has voiced hope that this project will be completed by end-September and has announced
the launch of a new program aimed at developing infrastructure in underprivileged
areas. The call for projects is open between August 6th and
September 4th.

Here is Minister Cojocaru with details:

I’m talking about the NGN project, a kind of Ro-Net 2. This project
will bring broadband internet to another 170 thousand homes for the first time.
The budget earmarked for this project is 64 million Euros. It will not only
benefit natural persons. It is very important for both the members of these
communities and public institutions, as they too will benefit from these
services. The project will take three years to complete.

Another
project that Minister Cojocaru has referred to is the creation of a government
cloud, with the aim of cutting spending in this sector. Bogdan Cojocaru:

We have initiated this project because it is clear that we need a
government cloud to meet the needs of public institutions. The guidelines have
been finalized. We are currently working on a memorandum, a very important such
project for which around 45 million Euros have been earmarked. That is why we
want the government to back this project and we hope we will be able to start
activities as soon as possible, for the feasibility study to mirror the real
needs of every public institution.

Minister
Cojocaru has also said that tenders for frequency assignment might be held next
year, provided the national strategy on the 5th generation of wireless
technology and the Smart City strategy are drawn up by the end of the year.