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

ANRCETI published the statistical data covering the evolution of the fixed market in the first half of 2014. The data show that the number of fixed subscribers kept the same level as last year (+0,03%), the fixed traffic dropped 11,8% (down to 1 billion 360,2 million minutes), the sales revenues dropped 9,2% down to 502,4 million lei.

According to the information provided to ANRCETI by the 23 fixed providers, in the first six months of 2014, the subscriber base of JSC „Moldtelecom” decreased by over 7,1 thousand (-0,6%) and totaled 1 million 108 thousand, the number of new subscribers of alternative providers grew by over 7,4 thousand (+6,7%) and reached 113,8 thousand. On June 30, 2014, the total number of fixed subscribers was over 1 million 221,8 thousand, penetration rate per 100 population was 34,3%.

The smaller volume of voice traffic in fixed networks was caused by the reduction of practically all types of traffic. The traffic originated abroad and terminated in national networks dropped 31,5% (down to 78,3 million minutes), the traffic to international networks – 24,2% (down to 20,2 million minutes), the traffic to other fixed networks – 16,2% (down to 870,2 million minutes) and interconnection traffic – 6,6% (down to 243,3 million minutes). However, the traffic to mobile networks increased slightly – 0,4% up to 31,4 million minutes. As a result of this trend, the average monthly voice traffic per user dropped 15,5% in the first half of 2014, compared to the same timeframe of last year, down to 271 minutes (four hours 31 minutes).

As the voice traffic and number of subscribers decreased, the revenues of JSC „Moldtelecom” from fixed sales reduced 11% down to 472,2 million lei. The same timeframe, the aggregated revenues of alternative fixed providers increased over 31% up to 30,2 million lei. Under these conditions, the average revenue per user (ARPU) dropped about 10,2% to 68,5 lei. JSC „Moldtelecom” recorded 70,8 lei ARPU (down 10%), alternative providers – 45,6 lei (up 1,4%).

As a result of the evolution of above-mentioned indicators, by mid-2014, the market share of JSC „Moldtelecom”, by revenues, was 94% (down 1,9%), whereas the joint share of alternative fixed providers increased the same proportion up to 6%.

More information on the evolution of the fixed telephone market in the first half of 2014 is available on: www.anrceti.md, section Statistical Data.

September 1, 2014