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

Data provided by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI - www.anrceti.md) on the development of the mobile sector in nine months of 2010 show that the industry has overcome the recession of 2009 and has returned to the growing tendency attested in the previous years.

In nine months, the turnover of the three mobile operators increased over the same period of 2009, by 15.4 % and exceeded 2 billion 541 million MDL. Since early this year, the average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 4.36% and reached 105.1 lei in the III quarter.

The strengthened mobile market position was basically caused by the increase in sales attested with Orange Moldova and Moldcell. Orange Moldova sales increased by about 16%, MOLDCELL’s sales - by 19.5%, whereas Moldtelecom’s sales dropped by 13.8%.

One of the factors causing the increase of mobile operators’ revenues was the growing number of users. During the reported timeframe, the total number of mobile users increased by 9% and reached 2 million 958.8 thousand and the penetration rate per one hundred inhabitants rose by 4.6 percentage points and reached 83%.

A significant increase was recorded among the users of the 3G Internet access networks, consuming 1 MB of traffic. Their number has increased since the beginning of the year by 32.6% and on 1 October 2010 it reached 105.9 thousand.

During the reported timeframe, the mobile market was operated by three operators: JSC Orange-Moldova, JSC Moldcell and JSC Moldtelecom, the latter under the trademark UNITE. In terms of turnover, the largest market share - 73.03% - is owned by Orange Moldova. Moldcell and Moldtelecom own 24.59% and 2.37% accordingly. The holder of the fourth mobile license – Eventis Mobile LLC – has not operated due to insolvency process.

Other details about the mobile market developments in quarters I – III of 2010 are available on the Agency web page: www.anrceti.md, section „Statistical Data”.

November 11, 2010