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

In the first quarter of 2012, the fixed telephone market was marked by the diminishing revenues generated by sales of public services against a slight increase in the number of subscribers, a tendency which is becoming more and more tangible in the recent three years. In the timeframe under report, the total volume of sales on this market segment decreased by 4,7% compared to the first quarter of last year, and constituted 384,7 million lei, whereas the number of new connections to the fixed telephone network increased by 25% and totaled 4,6 thousand.

According to the data processed by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the increase in the number of subscribers was exclusively caused by alternative fixed operators. In the reporting timeframe, the latter connected 6 thousand new subscribers, whereas the subscriber base of JSC „Modtelecom” dropped by 1,4 thousand. As a result, on March 31, 2012, JSC ”Moldtelecom” had 1 million 125,8 thousand subscribers, whereas all alternative operators – 58,7 thousand. The penetration rate of fixed telephony services per 100 inhabitants increased by 0,6 percent points (compared to the situation as of March 31, 2011) and constituted 33,28%.

The total volume of traffic via fixed telephone networks was 839,8 million minutes, a decrease by 7,3%, compared to  the first quarter of last year. The average monthly voice traffic (MoU) dropped by 8,8%, a user speaking on the phone, monthly, 3 hours 55 minutes, less by 23 minutes than in the first quarter of 2011.

ANRCETI data show that in the timeframe under report, the revenues of JSC „Moldtelecom” generated by sales of fixed telephony services decreased by 5,6%, making up 375,4 million lei, whereas the sales of alternative operators increased by 54% up to 9,3 million lei. The increase was mainly determined by a higher number of subscribers to triple-play services (Internet, TV and fixed telephony).

The average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) registered by fixed telephony operators dropped by 6,3% to 108,5 lei, compared to the first quarter of last year. The ARPU of JSC “Moldtelecom” was 111,1 lei (lower by 5,8%),  the ARPU of alternative operators – 55,7 lei (higher by 7,5%).

The fixed telephony market was operated by 23 providers, the most sizeable being JSC „Moldtelecom” – with 97,6% market share in terms of turnover, followed by alternative operators holding jointly 2,4% share.

Other information about the evolution of the fixed telephone market in the first quarter of 2012 is available on: www.anrceti.md, section Statistical Data.

June 18, 2012