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

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) published the following draft decisions on the official website www.anrceti.md, for public consultation:
1. The draft analysis of the market for access to the public telephone network at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers (market 1) and the draft of preventive regulatory measures for this market;
2. The draft analysis of the market for wholesale call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location (market 3) and the draft of preventive regulatory measures for this market;
3. The draft analysis of the market for wholesale voice call termination on individual mobile network (market 7) and the draft of preventive regulatory measures for this market;

The deadline for submitting recommendations on the proposed regulatory documents is March 20, 2023.

According to the Information Note to the first draft document, ANRCETI finds that this market no longer meets the three criteria test and proves that this market is no longer susceptible to preventive regulation, therefore it is proposed to withdraw the special preventive obligations previously imposed on Moldtelecom.

The Information Note to draft analysis no. 2 and no. 3 it is mentioned that both market 3 and market 7 continue to be susceptible to preventive regulation. The authors are stating that all fixed and mobile providers have significant power in these markets, but their power of influence is different.

In the previous analyzes of markets 3 and 7, ANRCETI applied preventive regulation only on termination of voice calls of national origin. Starting with 2022, ANRCETI, extended the regulatory measures on the services of termination of calls originating from Romania, with the view of putting in place the necessary conditions for the application of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Romania regarding reduction of tariffs for the provision of international roaming services and for international calls between the two countries. Having regard to the fact that the Republic of Moldova requested the European Commission to explore the possibilities to reduce roaming tariffs and the positive feedback received, the need arises to prepare the necessary conditions on the relevant wholesale markets for the approximation of the national framework to the common European regulatory framework. For this reason, ANRCETI, as a result of the 6th round of market analysis, plans to extend the special preventive measures to regulate markets 3 and 7 on calls originating from numbers of EU and EEA countries, in order to provide them with tariff treatment similar to national calls.

Interested persons can send comments and recommendations on the documents subject to public consultation, in writing, by mail to ANRCETI address of: 134, Stefan cel Mare bld., MD-2012, Chisinau municipality, by fax: 022-222-885 or by e-mail to: office@anrceti.md. Contact information: 022 251 303, 022 251 337, 022 251 334.

February 27, 2023