Orange Romania, initially known as Mobil Rom, was established in 1997. It began its operations under the brand names Dialog and Alo. In 2002, these brands were unified under the Orange brand, marking a significant rebranding phase. Orange Romania is a subsidiary of Orange S.A., a major telecommunications operator globally. The company is headquartered in Bucharest, Romania, and has been a prominent player in the Romanian telecommunications market. As of 2018, Orange Romania was the largest GSM network operator in the country, with a substantial customer base and a significant market share. The company has been involved in various spectrum auctions and has consistently upgraded its network technologies to provide advanced telecommunications services.
Country
Romania
Type
Mobile Network Operator
Ownership
Orange Group
Orange logo

3G Network

Orange Romania launched its 3G network on June 25, 2007, initially offering speeds of 3.6 Mbps. This was followed by an upgrade to 7.2 Mbps on October 1, 2007. The network further evolved with speeds of 14.4 Mbps from May 3, 2010, and 21 Mbps from February 28, 2011. By October 6, 2011, Orange Romania had launched 42 Mbps DC-HSPA+ services, enhancing its 3G network capabilities. However, the company announced the gradual shutdown of its 3G network starting from June 2024 with completion by end of 2025. This decision was made to focus on the development of 4G and 5G networks, as well as other emerging technologies. The spectrum and resources previously used for 3G are being redirected to these newer technologies, which offer faster and more energy-efficient services.

Network Frequency Band Status
B1 (2100 MHz)
Shutting Down
B8 (900 MHz)
Shutting Down
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 3G Network
Launch

4G Network

Orange Romania was proactive in adopting 4G technology. The company acquired new spectrum in the 800, 900, 1800, and 2.6 GHz bands in a 2012 auction. It commercially launched its LTE1800 service on December 12, 2012, in Bucharest and holiday resorts. By April 7, 2014, the theoretical peak downlink speed was increased to 150 Mbps. Further advancements included the testing and commercial launch of 300 Mbps Cat 6 in selected locations on September 22, 2014, using 20 MHz band 3 combined with 20 MHz band 7 spectrum. In March 2016, Orange introduced 3C CA 375 Mbps services, initially available at four retail outlets. The company demonstrated 1 Gbps speeds using LTE-Advanced Pro technology on a test network in July 2016. Orange also launched VoLTE HD voice service on September 14, 2015, and has been investing in Cat-NB1 (NB-IoT) and Cat-M1 (eMTC, LTE-M) technologies to enhance its 4G offerings.

4G Frequency Bands
Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status Known EARFCNs
B3 (1800 MHz)
20
Active
1600
B7 (2600 MHz)
20
Active
2950
B20 (800 MHz)
10
Active
6350
B28 (700 MHz)
10
Active
9410
B32 (1500 MHz SDL)
20
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 4G Network
Launch

5G Network

Orange Romania launched its 5G network in November 2019 using n78 (3500 MHz). Orange inaugurated its second 5G Lab in Iasi on March 29, 2023, in collaboration with the "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi and Continental. This lab focuses on the research and development of future mobility solutions and smart intersections, contributing to the foundation of autonomous driving. The 5G Lab in Iasi is equipped with advanced technologies, including 5G Standalone Virtualized User Plane Function and 5G New Radio. Orange Romania was also the biggest spender in the 2022 spectrum auction, acquiring spectrum in the 700 MHz, 1500 MHz, and 3400 MHz to 3800 MHz bands, with a total expenditure of €264.6 million. These efforts indicate Orange Romania's commitment to advancing its 5G capabilities and preparing for future commercial deployment.

Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status
n1 (2100 MHz)
10
Active
n78 (3500 MHz)
100
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 5G Network
Launch