1. CEE Regional Working Group - a cooperation project in Central and Eastern Europe
Dr. Nicolae OACĂ
Strategy Adviser to ANCOM President
ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe and
Seminar for Europe and CIS, Warsaw, 7-9 May 2012

2. CEE Regional Working Group - a cooperation project in Central and Eastern Europe
Starting points
CEE Regional Working Group members
Regional project
First CEE RWG technical meeting - regional meeting on mobile communications spectrum coordination
Next steps

3. 1. Starting points (1)
The switchover process generated the need for closer cooperation between countries in the field of spectrum management
A history of good cooperation between our region regulators
Countries in our region have simmilarities
Cooperation in the telecommunications sector - a regular topic on the agenda of many regulators in the region: scale economy, ...
The need to address key issues that will influence our region in the future
A need to share best practices and exchange ideeas for the development of the telecommunication sector in our region
Opportunity = a regional online platform where the stakeholders (end-users, investors, consultants, international organisations, etc.) could have easy access to centralised information

4. 1. Starting points (2)
“The achieved level of regulation and analysis of electronic communications market”, INFOFEST, Budva, 28 Sept 2009
ANCOM proposed a regional meeting dedicated to the digital dividend
“ Digital Dividend - Challenges and Opportunities in the Region”, Bucharest, March 2010
ANCOM proposed a regional approach on the digital dividend usage
“South-East Europe Ministerial Summit on Digital Dividend” , Belgrade, June 2010
ANCOM proposed a regional portal and a working group (at least one decision-making representative from each regulator). ANCOM offered to create and operate the portal and assist the working group. Proposal was included in the Summit press release.
In 2011 spring, ANCOM invited regulatory bodies in our region to join the project. 12 regulatory bodies from 11 countries joined the project
CEE Regional Working Group starts working, consulting on cooperation rules, portal functionalities and content
“Radio spectrum strategies”,
Bucharest, 12 May 2011
Kick-off CEERWG meeting, on cooperation rules, portal content and functionalities.
ITU was present!

5. 2. Working group members (1)
CNFR
ANRCETI
NMHH
APEK
ANCOM
HAKOM
RAK
RATEL
EKIP
AEC
ICTA
AKEP
MITN

6. 2. Working group members (2)
AKEP - Electronic and Postal Communications Authority, Albania
RAK - Communications Regulatory Agency, Bosnia and Herzegovina
HAKOM - Post and Electronic Communications Agency, Croatia
NMHH - National Media and Infocommunication Authority, Hungary
AEC - Agency for Electronic Communications, Macedonia
CNFR – National Center for Radio Frequencies, Republic of Moldova
ANRCETI – National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology, Republic of Moldova
EKIP - Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services, Montenegro
ANCOM - National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications, Romania
RATEL - Republic Agency for Electronic Communications, Republic of Serbia
AKEP - Post and Electronic Communications Agency, Republic of Slovenia
ICTA - Information and Communication Technologies Authority, Turkey
MITN - Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Greece
MTITC - Bulgaria

7. 3. Regional project - www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net, the main tool
- one-stop shop for information/regional overview on the telecommunications and regulation in Central and Eastern Europe
Objective
- industry information from each country
- calendar of switchover, tenders, events etc.
- relevant documents: legislation, decisions, studies, statistics, reports etc.
Content
- industry/investors
- consultants
- international organisations (ITU, GSMA, ..)
- EU bodies
- end-users
Target group

8. 3. Regional project - the working group
Make decisons on our regional portal
Provide national relevant information to be uploaded on portal
Mutually agree to add new topics to the portal, other than digital dividend
Represent a forum/opportunity of know-how sharing and cooperation between the NRAs
Faster/emergency communication channel among members for solving problems
Debate topics of interest for the region and, if necessary, agree on them
Cooperate with other similar regional groups or international bodies, for the interest of the region
Could coagulate a common regional approach on ....

9. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Steps taken (1)
consultation on basic rules
Kick-off meeting: agreement on portal content and functionalities, as well as cooperation rules - 12 May 2011
Portal name established after on-line consultation - June 2011
Portal name reserved and acquired - July 2011
Developing an in-house version* of the portal, based on RWG agreement of 12 May, started in June 2011
* In-house version allows experiments for preparing portal final version
Uploading first documents on the portal by end of July 2011:
Serbia - ASO process, Digital Tv progress, Digital Dividend, National Statistics
Montenegro - Digital Tv progress, National Statistics, National Strategy
Romania - National Statistics
Croatia - ASO process, Digital Tv progress, Digital Dividend, National Statistics
Slovenia - Digital Tv progress
Macedonia - ASO, Digital Tv progress, Digital Dividend
Moldova – Spectrum management

10. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Homepage (2)

11. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Digital Dividend (3)

12. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Events (4)

13. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net CEE Regional Working Group (5)

14. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net European Union (6)

15. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Other topics / ITU (7)

16. 4. www.CEERegionalWorkingGroup.net Member Authorities/Countries (8)

17. 5. First Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Coordination in Bucharest (1)
Two days event
First day, 29 March 2012 – Discussions on spectrum coordination in our region
Meeting of the CEE Regional Working Group
Larger participation - besides the CEERWG members, invitation also sent to administrations from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Ukraine
Guest of honor Mr. François Rancy, Director BR
Discussions on spectrum coordination during three sessions:
Plans for digital television and for the Digital Dividend band in our region
The need to harmonise the 700/800 MHz and 2600 MHz Bands
Preparing for a Regional Agreement on coordination of 700, 800 and 2600 MHz bands usage
Other two sessions on:
The most important decisions of WRC-12 and their impact on the development of mobile services (Agenda Item 1.17)
Sharing experience in our region: overview of the “Looking to the future project”, a long term strategy
Second day, 30 March Workshop on planning and organizing a spectrum auction
Workshop provided by experts from NERA Consulting and Optimal Auctions
Amock spectrum auction
Larger teams to cover all auction aspects: economic, legal, IT, logistics, etc.
Authorities from 11 countries attended the event
Larger teams - two to four members
Very high representation level:
presidents, executive directors, board members, deputy directors, technical directors

18. 5. First Regional Meeting on Mobile Communications Spectrum Coordination in Bucharest (2)
Results:
First day, 29 March 2012 – Discussions on spectrum coordination in our region
Meeting of the CEE Regional Working Group: formal admission of Greece
Understanding of present status in our region - ASO, DTv, DD band usage, LTE licensing
François Rancy, Director of BR, presented rationales for regional coordination
In 3rd session “Preparing for a Regional Agreement on the Harmonisation of the 700, 800 and 2600 MHz bands usage”, one presented:
principles (technical etc.) of regional agreements for 800MHz & 2600MHz bands
two draft agreements on the regional coordination in 800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands based on these principles
Few days latter, the two draft agreements were launched in consultation
WRC-12 decisions and their impact on the development of mobile services - NMHH
Sharing experience in our region: HAKOM (Croatia) presented a very large participation project “Looking to the future project”, involving authorities, academia, operators, manufacturers and aiming at establishing a long term industry strategy
Second day, 30 March Workshop on planning and organizing a spectrum auction
A full day workshop provided by experts from NERA Consulting (3) and Optimal Auctions
An introduction in auctioning, rationale for an auction, types of spectrum auctions
How to plan and organize a spectrum auction
Participation in the mock auction
A very interactive workshop – a lot of discussions - Q&A

19. 6. What next? Developing our regional portal
Upload relevant info on the portal
- upload relevant information on in-house version of the portal - started in July 2011
- CEE RWG members: news, events, country relevant information ( , , , , )
- relevant entities:
- international organizations: ITU, GSMA, EU, CEPT, EBU, etc.
- CEE RWG is inviting ITU to use its special page
- CEERWG is also inviting GSM Association to use its special page
- consultants, investment banks, ...
- manufacturers,
- other international entities are invited to upload information on our portal
- transfer on the new portal
Until the launch of the new portal by the hired company, CEE RWG will use the existing in-house portal to upload relevant information, to make experiments, field trials, ...
Public acquisition procedure for portal development
Contest documents - ready
Tender:
Launch - first semester 2012
Hiring portal developer - second semester 2012
Portal development - second semester 2012
More attention (efforts, resources, etc.) to accelerate portal development

20. 6. What next? Promoting our Regional Project
Road show to promote our Regional Project - make our project visible
- started - May 2011, ITU event, Gyor, Hungary
- continuing road show to present project status, attract new partners and discuss further actions
- ITU-D Study Group 2, Geneva, Switzerland, 13 September 2011
- SoftCOM 2011, Hvar, Croatia, 16 September discussions
- Infofest 2011, Budva, Montenegro, 3-4 October 2011
- bilateral discussion with AEC of Macedonia - support for regional project
- Sub-Regional Workshop on Transition to Digital Broadcasting and Digital Dividend 6-7 October 2011, Belgrade, Serbia…..
- Telecommunications and Media Forum, 22 March 2012, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Bilateral meeting with HAKOM, Croatia - support for regional project
- …..
Encouraging CEERWG members’ participation to all of our regional events to discuss, to share opinions, experience
ITU is supporting our initiative
Increase our group

21. 6. What next? Building Regional Group
Actions for improving regional cooperation:
coagulating our CEE Regional Working Group
accelerate work and cooperation - sharing experience, ideas, etc.
strengthening relations and building a team
Road show to coagulate the Group
usefull for our region
Trying to anticipate region’ problems and their solutions
Last year, from discussions two ideas emerged:
Experts meeting on preparing DD usage coordination in our region - need for coordination
Training/workshop on planning and organizing a spectrum auction - need for auctioning expertise
Regional meeting was organized in late March 2012 in Bucharest
LTE bands (800MHz, 2600MHz) usage coordination in our region
Consultation of draft agreements for 800MHz & 2.6GHz bands usage coordination
Launched in early April 2012
Planned till end of June 2012
Agreements could be signed, by most of the members, till year-end 2012
A new regional meeting could be held in 2012 for signing agreements
CEE Regional Working Group is open to new partners in our region …
Ukraine, Italy - at least for coordination of spectrum usage
other …

22. Thank you for your time and attention!
Nicolae Oacă, PhD, MBA