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

Providers of public fixed and mobile telephone services shall ensure, free of charge, the access of callers from public telephone networks to numbers of 116(xxx) format, assigned for harmonized services of social nature. This is a requirement stipulated by ANRCETI (www.anrceti.md) Administrative Board Decision on regulating the access to national short numbers of 116(xxx) format, used for the provision of services of social character, harmonized at European level. The Decision was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Moldova on October 21 and shall become effective on February 1, 2012.

National numbers of 116(xxx) format, where xxx identify certain services, are allocated for the provision of harmonized services of social nature. These are information services dealing with specific social needs, contributing to the safety and welfare of citizens, helping people in distress. According to the National Numbering Plan, 116000 will be used for the hotline for missing children, 116111 – child helpline, 116123 – emotional support help lines. The provision of access to 116(xxx) numbers will enable every citizen to call these numbers, free of charge, from any fixed or mobile line in any geographical area of Moldova.

These numbers are planned to be allocated to providers of public electronic communications services, starting February 1, 2012, when all the public telephone networks will provide access to short national numbers and codes from range „1”, without dialing prefix „0”. Previously, ANRCETI adopted a Decision in this respect to comply with the recommendations of the European Conference for Post and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), on the use of short numbers of range „1” for the implementation of harmonized services (single emergency number 112, numbers 116xxx of social nature), other services of public interest.

ANRCETI will allocate 116(xxx) numbers to requesting providers in compliance with the Procedure for the allocation of such numbers, approved by an Administrative Board Decision published in the Official Gazette on October 21, 2011. According to the Procedure, a requested number will be allocated to the provider-license holder, who, in his turn, will re-allocate it to the provider of social services by contract. It will be identified by ANRCETI on basis of the information about its capacity to provide such a service. The given information will be included in the application requesting license issuance by the requesting provider.

When reviewing the applications for license issuance ANRCETI will take into consideration the following criteria: (a) potential degree of service accessibility, (b) applicants’ experience in the implementation of national short numbers, (c) the term for activation of the allocated number and (d) the capacity of the service provider to ensure the implementation of such numbers and his compliance with general license conditions setting the rules for the use of numbering resources and special license conditions regarding the use of short numbers of 116(xxx) format. The special license conditions were approved by ANRCETI Administrative Board Decision no.19 of 12.07.2011, which is published on the agency Web page.

ANRCETI intends to announce availability of 116(xxx) numbers in February 2012.

October 21, 2011