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

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI - www.anrceti.md) has displayed for public consultation, on its website, the preliminary Analysis of the regulatory impact (RIA, doc. in state language) of draft Administrative Board Decision on regulating the access to numbers regardless of location. The public consultation will last 15 calendar days. Recommendations are welcome through the deadline – May 10, 2010.

The draft was developed by the Agency under the provisions of Article 9. (1). c) and g) and Article 42 of Electronic Communications Act No 241-XVI of 15. 11. 2007. Its purpose is to ensure adequate conditions for the development of telephone services independent of location and interconnection of networks that provide such services.

According to the modifications made to the National Numbering Plan, through Order of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications no. 15 of 03.03.2010, for the services provided via numbers independent of location, the Agency assigns numbers from ranges 30XXXXXX and 38XXXXXX. These services are provided on basis of packet-switched IP technologies (VoIP).

The reasoning provided by the RIA authors for the need to regulate the access to numbers independent of location is the necessity to remove structural and competitive barriers in this market, prevent actions aimed at competition distortion or restriction. According to the RIA, the Agency intends to develop clear rules for wholesale and retail pricing for telephone calls to numbers indepependent of location.

The Agency considers that the draft will be implemented to the benefit of the end users in terms of new generation services at a convenient price.

Interested persons are invited to submit recommendations on the draft document to office@anrceti.md. Telephone: 251-337.

April 26, 2010