5G strategy and policies

Communications Minister Alexandru Petrescu Monday attended a Question Time session in Parliament focusing on the 5G strategy

Daniela Budu, 17.09.2019, 13:50

A document concerning the implementation of the 5G strategy adopted in August by the Government, will soon be submitted to the Supreme Defence Council, the Romanian Communications Minister Alexandru Petrescu announced. He was invited by the National Liberal Party to a Question Time session in Parliament.

The Liberals, backed by the other opposition parties, accused the Government of a lack of transparency with respect to how the 5G strategy for mobile communications will be implemented. The Liberal Deputy Sorin Dan Moldovan emphasised that failure to implement this strategy would lead to Romania losing a chance to create new jobs and to secure substantial economic gains:

Sorin Dan Moldovan: “The Government delays with no excuse transposing the memorandum signed by Romania and the US with respect to the 5G technology. Another problem for the Government is the calendar for 5G frequency band bid, which was supposed to be launched in late September. There are also problems with the state budget. The government estimated 2 billion lei will come from this bid, but if the bid is not held this year after all, the consequence is that the state budget loses this 425 million euros.

In response, the Communications Minister said the document regarding the 5G strategy was subject to public debate prior to being adopted, and that it had been drawn up in keeping with the suggestions of the National Communications Administration and Regulatory Authority (ANCOM), of telecoms companies and of public administration experts and academia:

Alexandru Petrescu: “The 5G strategy has been the foundation, the stepping stone on which all the subsequent steps in implementing the 5G technology are based. It is only based on this strategy that a bid can be launched, and there are many other elements in this document which concern the national 5G coverage, first in urban areas alongside the main national roads, up until 2025 when we will have complete national coverage.

In turn, the Social Democrat Dinu Socotar said the Communications Minister is heading a sector in which Romania is a European leader:

Dinu Socotar: “Romania is acknowledged as a leader in Europe in terms of the internet speed provided to users. At the same time, the fact that we are the only EU member country where all the 3 telecoms giants operate, is tale telling of the development of the telecoms industry in our country.

The 5G technology offers data transfer speeds for mobile telecommunications 10 times higher than at present.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)