Romanian Telecom Ops Compelled To Unblock Cell Phones To Other Providers – Draft Law

“Unlocking is free of charge, provided the (user’s) minimum mandatory period to remain inside the network negotiated by contract has ended. If the user asks to have their terminal unblocked before the minimum period stipulated by contract ends, then the service supplier is compelled to unblock the phone only if the user fulfilled the obligations assumed by contract (paying certain price differences and termination penalties),” ANC said in a statement Tuesday.

 

The regulation is meant mainly for mobile telephones, but will apply to other types of captive terminals within electronic communication networks (modem, data card etc.)

 

“Romanian users must have complete freedom of choice and they must be able to benefit from the competition on the communications market. We have introduced (number) portability, but users must be able to take with them not only the number, but also the phone when they choose the services of a different provider. For that, operators must provide unblocking services, so that the terminals might be used in any other network,” ANC’s head, Liviu Nistoran said in the statement.

 

The draft decision setting the terms for terminal unblocking services is available for consultations on ANC’s website www.anrcti.ro, while interested people may submit related observations and propositions by February 20.

 

Orange Romania is the largest mobile telephony operator on the domestic market, with 10.2 million users registered end September 2008.

Vodafone Romania comes second with 9.5 million users, followed by Cosmote Romania – 5.2 million users.