National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology of the Republic of Moldova

A report of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) on market development shows that in 2009 the total volume of mobile market sales constituted 3 billion 33,6 million lei, which is 4% increase, compared to 2008. However, according to document, the mobile penetration rate in 2009 was the lowest in the recent five years.

ANRCETI specialists explain this slow-down in the pace of mobile development by the decrease of the average tariff for mobile services for end users and by a lower consumption of such services in the first half of 2009, as a result of economic recession in the country. The report shows that the 4% growing trend was exclusively caused by the 11% increase in the volume of sales by company ORANGE Moldova: from 1 billion 997,02 million, in 2008, to 2 billion 217,7 million lei in 2009. Company MOLDCELL reduced its volume of sale by 8,9%, whereas MOLDTELECOM – by 33,5%. The 11,9 million lei turnover of company EVENTIS Mobile, though higher than in 2008 by 36,9%, does not significantly influence market indicators.

As a result, the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) of the four mobile companies decreased by 15,7%: from 112,8 lei, in 2008, to 97,1 lei, in 2009, the highest ARPU – 107,1 lei being registered by ORANGE Moldova, and the lowest – 53,2 lei – by EVENTIS Mobile. The market share by turnover looked as follows: Company ORANGE Moldova – 73,11%, MOLDCELL – 23,23%, MOLDTELECOM – 3,42% and EVENTIS Mobile – 0,25%.

ANRCETI report also shows that in 2008, the number of mobile users continued to increase more dynamically than the revenue, the total number reaching 2 million 784,8 thousand, which is a 14,9% increase. Most of the users are users of multimedia services, based on GPRS/EDGE, CDMA 2000 1x EV-DO and HSPA technologies. The mobile penetration rate per 100 residents increased from 67,9%, in 2008 to 78,1%, in 2009.

Company ORANGE Moldova connected to its network the highest number of users – 199,8 thousand, as per January 1, 2010, the total number being one million 826 thousand users. Company MOLDCELL connected 845,9 thousand new subscribers, MOLDTELECOM – 101 thousand and EVENTIS Mobile – 11,8 thousand. By this date, ORANGE Moldova covered 98,8% of the country’s territory and 99,4% of the population, MOLDCELL – 97,15% and 96,8% accordingly, MOLDTELECOM – 96% and 93,8%, and EVENTIS Mobile – 11% and 42%,.

In 2009, the mobile market was shared by four providers. Company SA „ORANGE-Moldova” (former „VOXTEL”) launched its cell mobile network in October 1998, SA „MOLDCELL” – in April 2000, SA „MOLDTELECOM”, under the brand „UNITE” – in March 2007 and „EVENTIS Mobile” LLC – in December 2007. In February 2010 ANRCETI, in response to the request by „EVENTIS Mobile” LLC, provisionally suspended their mobile license for two months

Details on mobile market development in 2009 are available on ANRCETI Web site: www.anrceti.md, “Statistical Data”.

March 1, 2010