HAKOM: 2016 will bring the establishment of a consumer register “Do not call” and the development of applications e-right of way and e-main designs
PRESS RELEASE
The upcoming year will bring more transparent marketing and sale of electronic communications services, in particular by means of remote communication, such as telephone sales, the establishment of a consumer register “Do not call” intended for users who do not wish to be called by telemarketers, and new applications that will save time and facilitate administrative procedures for citizens.
ZAGREB, 30 December 2015 – The upcoming year will bring certain novelties in the electronic communications sector with the most interesting for users being the announced establishment of the consumer register “Do not call” that will enable all subscribers of telephone services, who wish to do so, to enter their numbers into the Register thus prohibiting all telemarketers or telesellers to call them or send them SMS/MMS messages.
The launching of the “Do not call” register, which is expected in the second half of 2016, will be preceded in the beginning of the year by a public consultation on amendments to the Ordinance on the manner and conditions for the provision of electronic communications networks and services in the part concerning transparent marketing and sales of electronic communications services, in particular by remote communication means, such as telesales. That will ensure uniformity of marketing and sales by operators enabling the users to gather all the necessary information when deciding on a certain service and providing of transparent information about the rights of users when concluding this type of contract for the selected services. Together with the Register, these amendments to subordinate legislation will ensure better protection of users of electronic communications services, in particular of the elderly, who have proven to be the most vulnerable group of consumers in case of remote sale and marketing.
HAKOM will continue with the digitalization of its operations in the upcoming year, that is, it will start developing two new applications aimed at simpler, more cost-efficient and faster resolution of requests submitted citizens and companies, that is, e-right of way and e-main designs. By digitalizing the submission and resolution of requests for the right of way, HAKOM will become more accessible to end users and other actors on the electronic communications market. In mid-2016, HAKOM is planning to publish information about transmitters of mobile communications networks and television transmitters on its interactive GIS portal. In this manner, basic information about radio stations will be available to the public on a geographical basis thus facilitating and speeding-up access to information.
Public consultation on the Ordinance on the manner and conditions for access to and sharing of electronic communications infrastructure and facilities is also expected in early 2016 aimed at removing certain ambiguities concerning the manner of filling the ducts and reimbursing the costs and at further regulating the process of contracting the sharing of cable ducts. The verification of fulfilment of obligations of faster Internet access to a minimum of 30 Mbit/s will start in mid-2016 with target users covered by HAKOM’s aid programme, such as many school and health care institutions in the Republic of Croatia that benefited from HAKOM’s aid for the building of infrastructure for higher internet access speed. Decisions on wholesale prices of SMP operators will also be adopted in 2016 on the basis of updated cost models. Cost models have been completed in 2013 followed by the adoption of currently valid decisions on wholesale conditions between operators on the Croatian electronic communications market. In 2016 HAKOM will adopt decisions defining the conditions for the upcoming period.
HAKOM will align regulations on use of the RF spectrum in the Republic of Croatia in the following year on the basis of conclusions of the World Radiocommunications Conference held in November of this year (WRC-15). This will contribute to the expansion of the existing services for certain frequency bands (e.g. mobile communications network or other radio communications networks). In 2016 HAKOM will continue its activities aimed at preparations for the switching-off to digital broadcasting of TV signal in DVB-T2 technology and for the freeing of the “second digital dividend”.
As a result of HAKOM’s persistent actions undertaken in the recent years in international institutions in relation to interferences from Italy, it is expected that co-channel interferences in the TV band will be significantly decreased or completely eliminated before the summer. If the Italian side does not comply with the provisions and deadlines laid down in the regulations adopted in the past months as a result of persistent pressure from the Croatian side, HAKOM will continue to insist, within the framework of its authority, on the resolution of this problem with the assistance of international institutions and the working group for cross-border coordination of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group.
More information about HAKOM’s plans for the following year is available in HAKOM’s 2016 Annual Activity Programme at the following link: https://www.hakom.hr/default.aspx?id=512
# # #
For additional information please contact:
Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)
Roberta Frangeša Mihanovića 9
10110 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel. + 385 (0) 1 700 70 07
Fax + 385 (0)1 700 70 70
Media inquiries can be submitted online using HAKOM’s official website: https://www.hakom.hr/
Registration required.
ZAGREB, 30 December 2015 – The upcoming year will bring certain novelties in the electronic communications sector with the most interesting for users being the announced establishment of the consumer register “Do not call” that will enable all subscribers of telephone services, who wish to do so, to enter their numbers into the Register thus prohibiting all telemarketers or telesellers to call them or send them SMS/MMS messages.
The launching of the “Do not call” register, which is expected in the second half of 2016, will be preceded in the beginning of the year by a public consultation on amendments to the Ordinance on the manner and conditions for the provision of electronic communications networks and services in the part concerning transparent marketing and sales of electronic communications services, in particular by remote communication means, such as telesales. That will ensure uniformity of marketing and sales by operators enabling the users to gather all the necessary information when deciding on a certain service and providing of transparent information about the rights of users when concluding this type of contract for the selected services. Together with the Register, these amendments to subordinate legislation will ensure better protection of users of electronic communications services, in particular of the elderly, who have proven to be the most vulnerable group of consumers in case of remote sale and marketing.
HAKOM will continue with the digitalization of its operations in the upcoming year, that is, it will start developing two new applications aimed at simpler, more cost-efficient and faster resolution of requests submitted citizens and companies, that is, e-right of way and e-main designs. By digitalizing the submission and resolution of requests for the right of way, HAKOM will become more accessible to end users and other actors on the electronic communications market. In mid-2016, HAKOM is planning to publish information about transmitters of mobile communications networks and television transmitters on its interactive GIS portal. In this manner, basic information about radio stations will be available to the public on a geographical basis thus facilitating and speeding-up access to information.
Public consultation on the Ordinance on the manner and conditions for access to and sharing of electronic communications infrastructure and facilities is also expected in early 2016 aimed at removing certain ambiguities concerning the manner of filling the ducts and reimbursing the costs and at further regulating the process of contracting the sharing of cable ducts. The verification of fulfilment of obligations of faster Internet access to a minimum of 30 Mbit/s will start in mid-2016 with target users covered by HAKOM’s aid programme, such as many school and health care institutions in the Republic of Croatia that benefited from HAKOM’s aid for the building of infrastructure for higher internet access speed. Decisions on wholesale prices of SMP operators will also be adopted in 2016 on the basis of updated cost models. Cost models have been completed in 2013 followed by the adoption of currently valid decisions on wholesale conditions between operators on the Croatian electronic communications market. In 2016 HAKOM will adopt decisions defining the conditions for the upcoming period.
HAKOM will align regulations on use of the RF spectrum in the Republic of Croatia in the following year on the basis of conclusions of the World Radiocommunications Conference held in November of this year (WRC-15). This will contribute to the expansion of the existing services for certain frequency bands (e.g. mobile communications network or other radio communications networks). In 2016 HAKOM will continue its activities aimed at preparations for the switching-off to digital broadcasting of TV signal in DVB-T2 technology and for the freeing of the “second digital dividend”.
As a result of HAKOM’s persistent actions undertaken in the recent years in international institutions in relation to interferences from Italy, it is expected that co-channel interferences in the TV band will be significantly decreased or completely eliminated before the summer. If the Italian side does not comply with the provisions and deadlines laid down in the regulations adopted in the past months as a result of persistent pressure from the Croatian side, HAKOM will continue to insist, within the framework of its authority, on the resolution of this problem with the assistance of international institutions and the working group for cross-border coordination of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group.
More information about HAKOM’s plans for the following year is available in HAKOM’s 2016 Annual Activity Programme at the following link: https://www.hakom.hr/default.aspx?id=512
# # #
For additional information please contact:
Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)
Roberta Frangeša Mihanovića 9
10110 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel. + 385 (0) 1 700 70 07
Fax + 385 (0)1 700 70 70
Media inquiries can be submitted online using HAKOM’s official website: https://www.hakom.hr/
Registration required.
ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.