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

According to the statistical data on the evolution of the mobile broadband market in the second qtr. 2021, processed by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the total number of mobile broadband users by 4G technology increased, compared to the end of 2020, by about 181.8 thousand (+ 11%) and reached over 1.8 million, with a share of over 70% of the total users of mobile broadband services.

The total number of mobile broadband users increased, during the reporting period, by 153.4 thousand (+ 6.5%) and was estimated at over 2.5 million, while the number of dedicated mobile Internet users decreased by about 19 thousand (-9.8%) and equaled 175.5 thousand. As a result of this evolution, the penetration rate of mobile broadband services per 100 inhabitants, increased by 7.4 percentage points and reached 97.2%.

The data presented to ANRCETI by the providers of mobile communications networks and services (Orange Moldova, Moldcell and Moldtelecom - Unite) show that during the reporting period the total volume of mobile broadband traffic increased, compared to the same period last year, by 35,3% and reached 48 million GB, the traffic generated by mobile broadband users via smartphones increased by 71.2% and reached about 32 million GB, and the traffic generated by those dedicated mobile broadband users decreased by 4.6% and totaled over 16 million GB. A user of mobile broadband via a smartphone generated an average monthly traffic (AUPU) of 4.7 GB, and a user of dedicated access to mobile Internet - an AUPU of 29.9 GB.

According to the same data, the total volume of revenues obtained by providers from mobile broadband services increased, compared to the same period last year, by 9.7% and reached 314.5 million lei, and revenues from dedicated mobile Internet mobile services decreased by 13.1% and reached 50.3 million lei. As a result of this evolution, the average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) of mobile broadband via smartphones increased by 0.7%, up to 38.7 lei, while the ARPU of dedicated mobile broadband increased by 5.7% and equaled 93.6 lei.

At the end of the reporting period, the providers of mobile broadband services had the following market shares, by revenues: Orange Moldova - 60%, Moldcell - 33% and Moldtelecom - 7%.

September 20, 2021