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

In the first half of 2015, the number of consumers of electronic communications services requesting assistance from the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) by means of petitions, hearings and calls to the ANRCETI hotline 080080080 increased compared to the same period of last year more than 1,5 times up to 208 people, according to a report on petitions processed in the first half of 2015.

The increase occurred basically due to a growing number of complaints via 080080080 hotline, which almost doubled: from 42 to 92 people, in the corresponding periods of 2014 - 2015. In most cases, ANRCETI specialists offered explanations and suggested solutions to tackled problems. Typically, the solutions proposed by ANRCETI are legal consultations, advice and relevant information meant to provide support for consumers in decision making and undertaking actions, as the case requires.

According to the report, in the first half year ANRCETI reviewed and replied to 112 complaints and four requests submitted by applicants within hearings. Most complaints addressed issues related to providing Internet access services (35 complaints) and mobile telephony (26 complaints). 20 complaints referred to audiovisual program retransmission services, 18 – fixed telephony and the remaining – other areas within ANRCETI competence.

Most complaints came to ANRCETI from consumers served by the biggest electronic communications providers – JSC „Moldtelecom” (53 complaints), „Starnet Solutions” LLC (15 complaints), JSC „Orange Moldova” (10 complaints), JSC „Moldcell” (8 complaints) and JV „Sun Communications” LLC (8 complaints).

The analysis of the complaints issues shows reveals claims against: overcharged bills, tariffs and debts (42 complaints), conditions of use/provision of services (19 complaints), contract terms (13 complaints), suspended service provision (12 complaints), quality of service (9 complaints), tariff increase (9 complaints), etc. Following complaint examination, ANRCETI specialists found that out of the total number of complaints, 41 – are well-grounded, while the facts related in 71 complaints were not confirmed, classifying the complaints as unreasonable. In most cases, the groundlessness of complaints is caused by their authors’ unawareness of contract clauses and terms of service provision.

The report states that all reasonable complaints were solved in favor of consumers. In most cases, they were related to cancellation of alleged debts claimed from consumers for services, re-calculation of subscription payments for timeframes of service unavailability, refunding for service provision failure, removing technical faults and restoring the quality of provided services.

To avoid the need to complain on problems related to the conditions of provision/use of electronic communications services, ANRCETI recommends that consumers address to the FAQ page on ANRCETI’s official Web site, where they can find answers to many questions of interest. If no proper response is found, consumers are invited to call ANRCETI hotline 080080080 (free call, available on weekdays between 8.00-12.00 and 13.00-17.00), to send an e-mail message to ANRCETI office: http://en.anrceti.md/contact or a complaint to postal address: 134, Stefan cel Mare bd. MD-2012, Chisinau.

July 8, 2015