Bosnia and Herzegovina get new GSM codes.

EUROPEMEDIA-(C)2002 Van Dusseldorp & Partners - http://www.vandusseldorp.com/

Acting as a single regulator for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Communication Regulatory Agency (CRA) has introduced new GSM codes.

In the agreement with the operators, the CRA has decided that

individual operators will be given specific codes. JP PTT BiH will use "061," Telekom Srpske "065," and the third GSM operator ? as yet unnamed, but assumed to be Eronet - will use "063." The current code, "066," will be out of use by the end of May. CRA says it is waiting for the Federal Agency for Privatisation to resolve the issue of Eronet?s ownership before awarding it any GSM code.

Although it?s not a political decision, awarding the GSM licences has become a political issue as it has acted to cement the ethnic division of the country. Many countries have many GSM operators ? neighboring Croatia has two ? but in Bosnia and Herzegovina there are three operators whose responsibilities strictly correspond with ethnic division of the country.

According to the Dayton Peace Agreement, the state consists of two entities ? the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska. But the BiH Federation is also divided into two ? territory under Bosnian control and that under Croatian control.

This means in towns like Mostar will end up with two codes, one for the east and one for the west side. As well, mobile phones registered abroad will be useless until their prior settings according to new GSM codes. ((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))