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

Providers of public mobile services and networks are placed under the obligation to ensure, jointly with the Centralized Data Base (CDB) Administrator, the technical launch of number portability in mobile networks as of May 1, 2013 and commercial launch – as of July 1, 2013. This is a provision of an ANRCETI Administrative Board Decision (doc. in state language), through which a previous Board Decision was modified – no. 41 (doc. in state language) of 11.10.2012, on approving the Action Plan for number portability implementation in the Republic of Moldova.

At first, according to the Plan, the number portability in mobile networks was to be launched on May 1, 2013. But the mobile providers requested that ANRCETI allocate additional timeframe for them to finalize the modifications in the billing systems for calls to ported numbers and ensure the successful commercial launch of the service. Taking into account the reasons and arguments, ANRCETI decided to accept one last modification of the number portability implementation terms. Finally, it was decided that May 1, 2013 shall be the term for technical launch (adjustment of information systems and testing their interoperability) and July 1, 2013 – commercial launch of the service. 

According to the modifications of the Plan, mobile providers and the CDB Administrator are to sign, before April 15th, the General Agreement (doc. in state language) porting service provision, then make the necessary adjustments in their own networks to enable the technical launch of service. The General Agreement was approved by ANRCETI Administrative Board Decision no. 16 of 09.04.2013.

The aforementioned Decisions were discussed and approved during Administrative Board meeting on April 9, 2013, attended by providers of fixed and mobile telephony network/services representatives of the CDB Administrator (ÎCS „NP Base” LLC, enterprise created by the company from Lithuania „MEDIAFON” UAB – winner of the tender for selection of CDB Administrator, conducted by ANRCETI in August 2012).

Number portability is a service that allows telephone users to retain their telephone number when switching the service provider. According to the Technical and Commercial Conditions (doc. in state language) for the implementation of number portability, once the number portability is implemented, any user will be able to benefit from this service within five working days as of submitting a request in this regard to the provider in whose network he wishes to have his number ported.

Before the commercial launch of number portability the CDB Administrator will make available for telephone users a special web page dedicated to number portability. It will offer all the information necessary for porting numbers from one network to another. By accessing this page, the users will be able to find out what numbers are ported and which providers is offering services via that particular number. 

In the last decade of June, ANRCETI is planning to organize, jointly with the providers and the CDB Administrator, a public presentation of the number porting process in mobile networks.

The implementation of number portability in Moldova is prescribed by the Law on Electronic Communications. This service is available in the 27 EU member states.

April 11, 2013