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

In the first half of 2015, the market for fixed Internet access continued to grow in terms of revenues and number of subscribers. The statistics published by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) shows that in this period the amount of sales of fixed Internet access services increased over the same period of last year by 63,4 million lei (+14%) and exceeded 517 million lei, while the number of subscribers to these services increased by over 9,1 thousand (+1.8%) and totaled over 518,4 thousand.

According to ANRCETI data, from the 61 active providers of Internet access services at fixed locations, two companies had highest sales – Starnet Solutions by 37,6% up to 23,2 million lei and Sun Communications – by 22,4%, exceeding 119,6 million lei. Revenues from fixed Internet access services, provided by Moldtelecom, increased by 11,8% to over 328,5 million lei. The cumulative volume of sales by other 58 providers of these services increased by 0,8% and totaled about 45,7 million lei. Following this development, the average monthly revenue per subscriber (ARPU) to Internet access services at fixed locations increased by 5,7% and amounted to about 167,3 lei.

This market growth is mainly due to the increases number of broadband subscribers and use of attractive offers for high speed internet access, containing some services included in the packages. (bundle).

In January - June 2015, most new subscribers to Internet access services at fixed locations preferred to choose high-speed Internet. The number of subscribers connected via optical fiber (FTTx - Fiber to the premises) increased by over 13,7 thousand (+5,3%), totaling 273,7 thousand, the number of those connected via coaxial cable – by 1,3 thousand (+3,8%) and made up 37,2 thousand. Meanwhile, the number of subscribers connected via xDSL technologies (Digital Subscriber Line) reduced by 5,5 thousand (-2,6%) and made 206,2 thousand. By mid-2015, 52,8% of the total number of subscribers to Internet access services at fixed locations used the FTTx technology, 39,8% – xDSL technologies and 7,2% – coaxial cable.

Following the developments on the market of data transmission and Internet access at fixed locations, in mid-2015, the market share of Moldtelecom by turnover was 63,5%, Starnet Solutions – 23,2%, Sun Communications – 4,5% and the cumulative share of the other 58 providers – 8,8%.

Other data on market developments of the market for Internet access services at fixed locations in the first half of 2015 are available on ANRCETI web page: www.anrceti.md, Section Statistical data.

September 4, 2015