Full pursuit of ANACOM's mission involves carrying out a wide range of activities on a regular basis, requiring a major allocation of human and financial resources; this warrants their inclusion in the context of the Plan.
These activities are detailed below, grouped according to the strategic priorities defined for the 2016-2018 three-year period.
Strategic Priority 1: Assure and protect the interests of users and citizens
- Respond to complaints and enquiries from consumers
Besides the information it makes public generally, ANACOM also provides specific information to individual consumers upon request. It receives tens of thousands of requests every year, including complaints (more than 78 thousand in 2014) and requests for information about the sector (more than 2,700 in 2014); all of these are analyzed, classified and answered. ANACOM's target is to provide responses to 95 percent of the requests addressed to it in 2016 during the year. By responding to complaints, when situations that give rise to them fall within its remit, ANACOM is contributing to the resolution of many of the problems faced by consumers. Where matters otherwise fall outside ANACOM's remit, consumers are given information about their rights and about which entity is best placed to help them resolve the problem they have reported.
ANACOM produces regular reports on the complaints it receives, detailing trends and giving information about which sectors, services and operators are most commonly cited in complaints. Given the importance of this information when consumers are choosing between services and operators, these reports are published.
Whenever analysis of complaints gives indication that an offence has been committed, processes are referred directly to litigation. When there are indications of non-compliance with sector legislation or regulatory decisions, processes are submitted to investigation.
The analysis of complaints may also result in regulatory measures being drawn up where there is a need to put an end to inappropriate practices.
- Monitor information disclosed by service providers
The information which providers disclose to consumers is monitored on a regular basis, in order to ascertain whether it complies with sector legislation and with ANACOM's determinations. ANACOM also periodically reviews provider contracts to check that their clauses comply with the legal requirements and obligations of disclosure and transparency.
- Conduct studies on the sector
ANACOM regularly conducts studies on the electronic communications and postal sectors. In many cases, these studies make comparisons with situations internationally, providing ANACOM with thorough knowledge of the Portuguese regulatory situation compared to other countries. From this point of view, studies serve as an important tool in support of ANACOM's regulatory activity and decision-making process.
Strategic Priority 2: Promote open and competitive markets
- Grant and revoke licences for the exercise of activity, allocate numbering and frequencies
Pursuit of activity in the electronic communications sector is subject to the general authorisation regime. Likewise in the postal sector, although in some cases access to the activity is subject to licensing, and it is ANACOM responsible for issuing these licences.
Where pursuit of an activity involves the use of numbering resources, these are allocated by ANACOM, which also holds responsibility for the allocation of rights of use of frequencies, when applicable.
ANACOM has powers to revoke issued titles, at the request of operators or, in the event of confirmed non-compliance with their provisions, upon its own initiative.
- Verify compliance with obligations and instigate breach proceedings
As part of its supervisory activity, ANACOM is responsible for enforcing compliance with the prevailing regulatory framework, sector legislation and with its own determinations, as well as with the obligations which stem from allocated rights of use of frequencies and titles governing exercise of provider activities. ANACOM also oversees the conditions associated with the operation of networks and provision of services.
When it detects prohibited practice, the processes are referred to litigation in order that the offender might be sanctioned and the behaviour in question remedied.
- Compile and disseminate statistical information about the communications sector to evaluate market trends and support decision-making
ANACOM regularly compiles and analyses a wide range of statistical information on the sector, thereby obtaining a detailed understanding of the market and enabling quality decision-making. These analyses are then published, enhancing transparency and ensuring that all stakeholders have access to information that may be relevant in defining their strategies and market positioning.
With the statistical information it compiles, ANACOM prepares and publishes an annual report on the state of the communications sector, which provides a highly detailed snapshot of the sector, as well as a set of regular quarterly reports detailing the trends and dynamics of the various services.
Strategic Priority 3: Ensure the efficient management of scarce resources
- Management and allocation of numbering resources
ANACOM is responsible for managing the PNN - Plano Nacional de Numeração (National Numbering Plan), including its guidelines and general principles, and for providing the efficient management of numbering and addressing resources, including the allocation of resources and the definition of allocation conditions.
Use of numbering is subject to the allocation of rights of use; these may be allocated to companies providing publicly available electronic communications networks and services and also to companies which make use of these networks or services.
In the management of numbering resources, ANACOM may recover allocated numbering in the event that the respective conditions are not respected.
- Licensing of telecommunications networks and stations
ANACOM issues station and network licences for the different radiocommunications services, which, in practical terms, is equivalent to authorising operation of the networks and stations in question; as such, ANACOM is responsible for examining and processing the respective licensing procedures, including the assignment of frequencies.
- Monitoring control of the spectrum
In addition to its enforcement activities with regard to the conduct of operators, ANACOM regularly engages in important activities to monitor the radio spectrum. This activity includes two types of actions: reactive, in response to requests put to it; and preventive actions which ANACOM undertakes on its own initiative, on a scheduled basis. In 2014, 2,827 preventive actions were undertaken with about 1,500 reactive actions.
- Laboratory activities
ANACOM undertakes important laboratory work, performed at LEC - Laboratório de Ensaios e Calibração (Testing and Calibration Laboratory), which conducts electromagnetic compatibility tests, radioelectric testing and equipment calibration. This area of activity complements ANACOM's enforcement work, since in many cases equipment seized during investigations needs to be analysed at the LEC to verify compliance with the technical requirements in force. In addition to its work in support of enforcement activities, LEC performs work for third parties.
Strategic Priority 4: Promote institutional and technical cooperation
- Cooperate with national entities
Fulfilment of ANACOM's remit entails cooperation with other authorities and organisations from Portugal and abroad. At a national level, ANACOM cooperates frequently with other national regulatory authorities, especially with AdC - Autoridade da Concorrência (Portuguese Competition Authority) and ERC - Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (Media Regulatory Authority). When these entities work on issues that require the opinion of the sector regulator, ANACOM is called on to give such opinions. ANACOM also works in collaboration with the Assembleia da República (Assembly of the Republic), offering information and providing explanations upon request.
ANACOM's work also involves frequent cooperation with Direcção-Geral do Consumidor (Directorate General for the Consumer) and consumer organisations, as well as organisations involved in spectrum management for aeronautical purposes, the armed forces and national security/emergency services.
- Cooperate with international entities
In addition to international cooperation of a strategic nature, specifically cooperation with the European Union and PALOP countries, ANACOM also maintains relations with regulators and regulator associations in other geographical areas. The aim of this cooperation is to exchange knowledge and experience which might enrich regulatory practice in the countries involved, in electronic communications and in the postal sector.
Strategic Priority 5: Promote effectiveness and internal efficiency
- Continuously modify procedures, de-materialise processes and expand range of services provided online
In order to improve its performance, ANACOM continually seeks to become more efficient, more agile and faster in providing responses to requests put to it. In this sense, ANACOM uses the simplification of procedures to reduce the bureaucratic burden associated with many tasks and de-materialize processes. In its relations with third parties, consumers and providers, ANACOM seeks, wherever possible, to facilitate interaction, making services available online whenever deemed appropriate.
- Promote excellence in human resources
ANACOM has a policy of adding value to its human resources based on the development of competencies. For this purpose, ANACOM is engaged in a range of different human resource management processes, including performance evaluation and internal mobility.
