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

The first quarter of this year, mobile sales increased over the same period of last year by 22.6% and reached to 761.4 million lei, according to the data available with the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) about the situation on this market.

This growth rate occurred after an appreciable reduction of sales in the first quarter of 2009 and moderate increase of this indicator in the subsequent quarters of that year, a trend caused by the effects of economic and financial crisis last year. During the reporting period, the sales of Orange Moldova rose by 27.3% and reached 565 million lei, those of Moldcell – by 16.8% and totaled 173.1 million lei, whereas MOLDTELECOM sales decreased – by 15.5% and comprised 23.3 million lei. Following these developments, the average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) increased compared to the first quarter of 2009 by 9,8% and reached to 91 lei.

During the same period, the number of mobile users increased over the first quarter of 2009 by 8.4% and reached two million 792 thousand, of which 96,000 are users of broadband mobile Internet services, provided over 3G networks. The penetration of mobile services, per one hundred inhabitants, increased by 6.2 percentage points and reached 78.4%.

The increase in the number of mobile users was caused by the expansion of Moldcell subscriber base by 18,600 customers and Orange subscriber base – by one thousand users. MOLDTELECOM reduced its subscriber base by 500 customers. As per April, the Orange Moldova had one million 827 thousand users, Moldcell – 864 600 and MOLDTELECOM – 100 500.

During this quarter, the three providers of the mobile market – SA ORANGE-Moldova, SA MOLDCELL and SA MOLDTELECOM under the brand UNITE, had the following market shares by turnover: Orange increased it to 74.2%, MOLDCELL held 22.73% market share and MOLDTELECOM – 3.07%.

Other details about the mobile market developments can be found on the Agency website: www.anrceti.md, “Statistical Data” division.

May 20, 2010