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

The Administrative Board of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI – www.anrceti.md) is inviting stakeholders to a public session, Tuesday, July 12, to discuss and approve three draft Administrative Board Decisions on access to and use of national short numbers for social services of 116(xxx) format, harmonized at European level: (1) regulation of access to such numbers; (2) Procedure of allocation and (3) Special License Conditions (docs in state language) for the use of these numbers. The session will take place at 14.00, ANRCETI Office, 5th floor, Conference Room.

The three draft decisions were subject to public consultations of the Agency’s Web page in the timeframe June 1 – July 1, 2011. The Agency received recommendations from JSC „Orange Moldova” pertaining to the three documents. The recommendations are included in the Synthesis (doc. in state language), which is also available on the Web site.

The first draft decision sets obligations for providers of public electronic communications networks to ensure free of charge access (for callers), including from public payphones, to numbers of 116(xxx) format, for the provision of harmonized services of social nature, as well as the conditions to make the access possible. The second draft decision provides for the rules of management for the national short numbers 116(xxx) used for providing services of social nature, as established in the National Numbering Plan, as well as for the specific conditions in which a provider of public electronic communications networks/services can obtain and exercise his right to use such numbers, for a limited timeframe.

The third draft decision establishes the rights and obligations of license holders for the use of 116(xxx) numbers regarding open access to these numbers for all providers of public electronic communications networks, so that free access to these numbers is provided to end-users from all public electronic communications networks, for the provision of the following services: emergency telephone line for missing children – 116000, helpline for children – 116111 and helpline for emotional assistance – 116123.

According to Explanatory Notes (doc. in state language) accompanying the three draft documents, the national short numbers for services of social nature are 6-digits long, under 116(xxx) format, where xxx identifies a particular service. Services provided through these numbers meet specific social needs, contributing to the welfare and safety of people or helping people in need. By means of these numbers, access to information or assistance, communication between citizens or a combination of these elements will be ensured. The service will be accessible to all users, and calls to 116(xxx) numbers will be free of charge.

The three decisions will enter into force on February 1, 2012, when the access at range „1” will be implemented without dialing prefix „0”. After these decisions become effective, the Agency will publish on its website the 116(xxx) numbers open for allocation, as well as the conditions to be fulfilled by the services provided through these numbers.

July 6, 2011