QUESTION: Is Cost Control available?

ANSWER: In accordance with the technical capabilities, the operator of publicly available telephone services shall ensure, in a simple way and free of charge: ban of outgoing calls and sending electronic messages in case the subscriber’s monthly costs of these services exceed the pre-determined amount, ban of certain types of outgoing calls, and originating calls or sending electronic messages to certain types of numbers (Art. 114 of LEC)

QUESTION: Am I entitled to receive itemised billing?

ANSWER: The operator shall, upon user’s request, issue a bill containing a detailed specification of provided services with the calculation of charges for each individual service, so as to ensure simple verification and cost control of the provided services. The data shall not comprise: data about free-of charge calls and calls to emergency services, or the data incompatible with provisions of the law regulating personal data protection. (Art. 112 of LEC).

QUESTION: My bill is bigger due to short-code messages, and the operator informed me that this was value added service (VAS).

ANSWER: Value Added Services (VAS) may include: access to and/or delivery of contents of informative, educational or entertaining nature, service ordering or booking, access authorization, advanced communication services, access to prize contests, quizzes and games of fortune, electronic and printed media and Internet related service, access to and/or delivery of adult contents, donation raised for a charity or humanitarian cause and other services.

Payment of goods and services (ticket purchase, parking payment, banking and similar services, pursuant to the provisions regulating the particular subject matter and/or obligations) through telephone bill shall not be regarded as VAS if the payment can be made in another way.

In order to use such services, the user needs to apply for them with the service provider. The provider is required to inform the user about the terms and conditions and the price of the service provision. Among other things, the user has to be informed on how to unsubscribe. The messages are sent by the service providers by using short codes received from the mobile operators.

The users should pay attention to the following:

• In case they receive a message offering a service, and have not applied for the service, they need to carefully examine the content of the message because it should contain the information on how to unsubscribe and no longer receive such messages for the particular service.
• In case the user continues to receive the messages, they need to check their consumption more frequently (instead of waiting to receive the monthly bill) and, if they cannot unsubscribe from the service on their own, they should get in touch with their mobile operator in order to find out which provider sends the unsolicited messages.

Rulebook on obligations of value added services providers regulates in detail the obligations of the value added service providers in terms of publishing a detailed description and price of the complete service, i.e. all parts of the service, service advertising, service cost calculation and collection, mode of personal data, traffic data and location data processing, control prohibited content and complaint handling and user interest protection.

Value added service provider is a legal entity providing a value added service to a service user, whereas the operator of a public communications network is a legal entity operating a public communications network, providing technical facilities and/or billing and collection service for the service provision.

Value added service provider and the entity with which they close a contract are requierd to ensure protection of the service user by: providing clear and unequivocal information on the type and content of VAS provided, VAS price and charging method, providing clear and transparent information on VAS provider when advertising, ensuring that promotion activities are in no way deceiving or misleading for potential VAS users, ensuring that VAS content is compliant with the regulations of the Republic of Serbia; 5) ensuring special protection for children, etc.

QUESTION: What is the procedure for obtaining FM station licence?

ANSWER: A licence to use radio frequencies for radio (FM) broadcasting station is obtained exclusively based on the public competition launched by the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), i.e. by being granted the licence to provide radio media services via terrestrial analogue broadcast. For information on the competition please contact REM (http://www.rem.rs). After obtaining the licence for radio media service provision via terrestrial analogue broadcast, the user should make a request to RATEL in order to be issued the individual licence for radio frequency usage. The two licences constitute a single licence for the operation of radio (FM) broadcasting station.

QUESTION: What documents are required in order to be issued the individual licence for radio frequency usage?  

ANSWER: In order to be issued the individual licence for radio frequency usage, the request needs to be accompanied by the appropriate filled-out Application Form for the issuance of individual licence for radio frequency and relevant technical documentation.

QUESTION: What documents are required in order to be issued a temporary licence and how long is it valid for?

ANSWER: A temporary licence for radio frequency usage is issued for a period of up to 60 days. In order to be granted a temporary radio station license foreign legal entities need to submit a filled out ZPDPR-SPL Form (Form available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms).

QUESTION: What documents are required in order to be granted frequency and issued a licence for functional systems? 

ANSWER: In order to be issued the individual licence for radio frequency usage for functional systems, the request needs to be accompanied by the appropriate filled-out Application Form for the issuance of individual licence ZPD Form (Form available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms) and relevant technical documentation, prepared according to the RULEBOOK on application forms for the issuance of individual licences for the use of radio frequencies (Official Gazette of RS, no. 37/21 ). It is mandatory to specify the geographic coordinates within WGS84 system in the Application Form (WGS84 coordinates need to be determined accurately, by means of GPS).

QUESTION: What documents are required in order to be issued a permit for radio station on board of an aircraft or vessel?

ANSWER: In order to be issued a permit for radio station on board of an aircraft, the request needs to be accompanied by the appropriate filled-out Application Form for the issuance of individual licence - ZPDV Form (Form available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms) and the following documents: certificate of aircraft registration; certificate issued by the Business Register Agency on the business registration (for the aircraft is owned by a legal entity) or a photocopy of the ID card if the owner of the aircraft is a natural entity; proof of assigned TIN (only if the owner of the aircraft is a legal entity) and technical characteristics of each radio device. All radio devices on board of aircraft need to be specified.

ANSWER: In order to be issued a permit for radio station on board of a vessel, the request needs to be accompanied by the appropriate filled-out Application Form for the issuance of individual licence - ZPDB Form (Form available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms) and the following documents: sailing permit / ship’s papers or other proof of ship ownership (vessel purchase/lease contract, certificate issued by the commercial court on the vessel ownership), certificate issued by the Business Register Agency on the business registration and proof of assigned TIN (in case the vessel is owned by a legal entity) or a photocopy of the ID card, if the owner is a natural entity; technical characteristics of each radio device; decision indicating the vessel’s name and call sign, issued by the ministry in charge of waterways and navigation safety;

QUESTION: What is the procedure for registering CB radio station?

ANSWER: Detailed information regarding CB radio station is given in the RULEBOOK on the manner of radio frequency usage under general authorization regime (Official Gazette of RS, no. 28/13). In order to register CB radio station ERFOO3 Form needs to be filled out, given in Annex 3 of the RULEBOOK. 

QUESTION: What are the necessary documents in order o be issued a radio amateur licence and a radio amateur permit?

ANSWER: In order to be issued a radio amateur licence the following documents need to be submitted to the Agency:

• filled out, signed and stamped Application for radio amateur licence issuance – ZRLA Form (Form available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms)
• proof of payment of the fee for the issuance of the radio amateur licence
• and also, the certificate on the assigned call sign issued by the Association of Radio Amateurs if:

1. 1. the application is made for the first time,
   2. the call sign is changed
   3. the radio amateur class is changed

• certificate on the passed exam for the appropriate class if:

1. the application is made for the first time,
2. the radio amateur class is changed

• ID card scan with the information on personal ID number and residence (for underage persons, birth certificate and certified written consent from a parent need to be provided).

Based on the submitted documents, the Agency shall issue an amateur radio stations valid for a period of 10 years.

ANSWER: In order to be issued the individual licence for the use of radio frequencies for personal amateur radio station, the following documents need to be submitted to the Agency:

• Application form for the issuance of individual licence for the use of radio frequencies for personal amateur radio station – ZPDLA Form and/or ZPDKA Form for an amateur club radio station (Forms available at https://www.ratel.rs/en/page/guidelines-and-forms),
• proof of payment of the fee for the issuance of the individual licence for personal and/or amateur club radio station
• if applied for a personal amateur radio station, a photocopy of the radio amateur licence needs to be provided, and if the applied for an amateur club radio station a photocopy of the radio amateur licence of the person in charge within the radio amateur organization who is the applicant needs to be provided
• ID card scan with the information on personal ID number and residence (for underage persons, birth certificate and certified written consent from a parent need to be provided).
• certificate on assigned call sign for a club, repeater and beacon station issued by the Serbian Association of Radio Amateurs
• proof of registration in the relevant register when applying for a club, repeater and beacon station

For all radio stations owned by one radio amateur, the Agency shall issue one licence for personal amateur radio station valid for a period of 10 years.

For all radio stations owned by one radio amateur organization, with a single call sign, the Agency shall issue one licence for amateur club radio station valid for a period of 10 years.

The fee for the issuance of the radio amateur licence and the individual licence is 1000 RSD and it is regulated by the RULEBOOK on the Fee Calculation for the Provision of Services within the Competence of the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (Official Gazette of RS nos. 34/13, 92/20 and 87/21), Article 3, item 18.

QUESTION: Allocation and terms of use of specific frequency bands

ANSWER: Allocation and terms of use of specific frequency bands are regulated by the RF Band Allocation Plan (Allocation Plan and Table available in Serbian)

QUESTION: Radio frequency usage in the bands under general authorization regime, in particular 2400-2483.5 MHz, 5470-5725 MHz and 5725-5875 MHz.

ANSWER: Broadband data transmission system and wireless access radio stations, including local coverage open area radio networks (WAS/RLANs) may use frequencies in  2400-2483.5 MHz and 5470-5725MHz bands. 5470-5725MHz band may be used for broadband fixed wireless access systems (BFWA). Radio stations must operate in line with Annex 2, item 2.1 and 2.2.2 of the RULEBOOK on the manner of radio frequency usage under general authorization regime. These stations need to be registered. The instructions on filling out and submitting the registration applications and the application forms are available in Annex 2 of the RULEBOOK. The registration and frequency usage is free of charge.

QUESTION: Radio frequency usage in the bands 72-76 /82-86 GHz.

ANSWER: Frequency bands 72-76 /82-86 GHz are allocated to fixed, microwave links. Radio stations must operate in line with Annex 2, item 2.3 of the RULEBOOK on the manner of radio frequency usage under general authorization regime. These stations need to be registered. The instructions on filling out and submitting the registration applications and the application forms are available in Annex 2 of the RULEBOOK. The registration and frequency usage is free of charge.

QUESTION: Proposed frequencies for microwave links

ANSWER: Depending on current situation in the specific frequency band