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

2009 is the second year when the sales on the fixed market dropped, the total being 1 billion 927 million lei, which is a 12,7% decrease compared to 2008. In 2008, this indicator dropped by 5,8%, compared to 2007. This data are provided by a Report of the National regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) regarding the development of this market in 2009.

The report specifies that the turnover registered by company MOLDTELECOM reduced by 12% and constituted about 1 billion 891 million lei. The turnover of alternative fixed telephony providers reduced by 39,4% and constituted 36,43 million lei. As a result, the average revenue per user (ARPU) was 142,96 lei, which is 15% lower - MOLDTELECOM ARPU was 143,3 lei and alternative providers ARPU – 111,2 lei. This reduction was caused by the diminishing total traffic volume in fixed networks – by about 11,4%. The traffic in the providers’ own networks reduced by 5,3%, the international traffic – by 18,6%, the interconnection traffic – by 29%.

The agency specialists consider that the recession of this market was caused, on the one hand, by the intensified substitution of fixed services by mobile, and on the other hand, by the diminishing consumption of fixed telephony services, a result of the economic and financial crisis in the country.

The Agency data show that, though the volume of sales on the fixed telephony market reduced, the number of fixed subscribers increased slightly: it reached 1 million 139 thousand, which is a 2,2% increase. MOLDTELECOM connected 22,05 thousand new subscribers and alternative providers - 2,1 thousand. As per December 31, 2009 MOLDTELECOM had 1 million 110,3 thousand subscribers, and alternative providers - 28,4 thousand. According to the number of subscribers, the highest shares among alternative providers belong to companies Arax-Impex and Sicres - 0,83% and 0,42%, accordingly. The share of MOLDTELECOM according to the same indicator was 97,5%, a 0,1 percentage point decrease compared to 2008.

In 2009, 19 providers offered fixed telephone services. The biggest – SA „MOLDTELECOM” – had a 98,11% share according to turnover. The rest of the market was shared by alternative providers, „Arax-Impex” LLC, „Sicres” LLC and SA „ORANGE Moldova", the latter having acquired SA „Telemedia group”, in December 2008.

Details regarding the evolution of fixed market in 2009 are available on the agency internet site: www.anrceti.md, “Statistical data”.

March 3, 2010