With the rollout of 5G technology, North Macedonia will have to clear a number of legal and regulatory hurdles before benefitting from its potential to transform industries, improve connectivity, and drive economic growth. The country’s telecommunications framework faces the dual challenge of accommodating this groundbreaking technology while ensuring alignment with EU standards.
North Macedonia’s telecommunications market is currently dominated by two major operators: Macedonian Telecom and A1 Macedonia. These companies have been pivotal in shaping the country’s telecommunications infrastructure and are taking another significant step forward with 5G. Both have received the necessary approval to deliver 5G services from the Agency for Electronic Communications (AEC).
North Macedonia’s telecommunications sector is governed primarily by the Law on Electronic Communications, which is largely aligned with the European Union’s regulatory framework. The AEC plays a central role in managing spectrum allocation, licensing, and promoting competition in the sector. With the recent approvals for 5G, the AEC has paved the way for facilitating the country’s digital transformation.
The release of spectrum for 5G has been an important step, but difficulties remain, particularly around the need for efficient spectrum management and ensuring that the infrastructure can support the fifth generation of services. The telecommunications operators have had to work closely with regulators to meet the technical and legal requirements for delivering 5G internet.
While the introduction of 5G services poses a range of legal and regulatory challenges, we believe that the main issues will be maintaining an up-to-date regulatory framework that addresses cybersecurity concerns, data protection, and infrastructure development.
5G introduces new vulnerabilities in network security, making it crucial for North Macedonia to strengthen its cybersecurity rules. The open architecture of 5G networks exposes telecom operators to risks such as data breaches and surveillance, which are not regulated by separate laws. We expect that North Macedonia will adopt and enforce the appropriate security protocols, reflecting EU standards like the NIS and NIS2 directives and the EU Cybersecurity Act. As the key telecommunications operators roll out 5G services, cybersecurity will be a top priority, particularly in sensitive sectors like healthcare and smart cities.
The enhanced data processing capabilities of 5G technology pose additional risks to safeguarding consumer privacy. With the rise of the Internet of Things, Macedonian telecom operators must guarantee compliance with local and international data protection laws while managing vast amounts of personal data. Protecting consumer data and privacy will be essential as the ecosystem of connected devices expands.
Lastly, one of the most pressing tasks for telecommunications operators in North Macedonia is the major infrastructure overhaul required to support 5G. Unlike 4G, 5G requires a dense infrastructure of small cell towers and fiber-optic networks. Local regulations on zoning, construction permits, and environmental impact assessments may become bottlenecks, imposing further obligations on telecom operators, while approval processes often remain lengthy and complex in practice.
A new potential player in the Macedonian telecommunications market is 4iG, a Hungarian telecom and IT services provider. Its market entry would introduce fresh competition, conceivably accelerating the 5G rollout and resulting in additional services for consumers.
While North Macedonia’s focus is currently on the ongoing deployment of 5G, telecommunications will inevitably move toward 6G technology in the future. Research into 6G is already underway globally, with this next generation of mobile networks expected to offer unprecedented speeds, ultra-low latency, and the ability to support fully autonomous systems.
For telecommunications operators, the foundations being laid with 5G will be essential for a smooth transition to 6G in the next decade. The regulatory framework will need to evolve to address anticipated challenges such as increased spectrum demand, advanced cybersecurity threats, and the legal implications of highly intelligent, interconnected systems.
Looking ahead, North Macedonia must start preparing for 6G by fostering innovation and ensuring that its legal frameworks can support the massive technological leap that 6G will represent. Early investment in research, coupled with regulatory foresight, will be critical to keep the country competitive in the global telecommunications landscape.
By Marija Filipovska Jelcic, Partner, and Martin Ivanov, Attorney-at-Law, CMS
This article was originally published in Issue 11.11 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
