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) will assign to providers of public fixed telephone networks three national short numbers: 116000, 116111 and 116123 for harmonized services of social value. Those numbers are used in the European Union countries for the same types of services. This is a provision of the new version of the National Numbering Plan (NNP), which entered in force on May 21, 2010.

PNN is the document that establishes the structure and purpose of numbering resources used in R. Moldova for telephony services provided over fixed public and mobile networks. The current plan was developed by the Agency and approved by order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications No. 72 of 08.04.2003. The new version of the NNP was developed in accordance with recommendations of international sector bodies and aims to encourage the implementation of new services, promote competition on the electronic communications market and protect end-users.

According to PNN, the number 116000 will be allocated for the hotline emergecy service for missing children. The number 116111 will be allocated for telephone assistance lines for children and 116123 - for telephone line providing emotional support. Calls to these numbers will be free of charge from any city of the republic and from any terminal point of public electronic communications networks.

The Agency will develop the relevant regulations, after which it will call for a contest to assign 116000, 116111 and 116123. These numbers are used in EU Member States according to the principle „same number - same service". EU citizens know that the same number allows access to the same service in every member state.

The new NNP version extended the range of services provided by the numbers of the series "8” and "9”. Thus, the numbers of the „0814 XXXXX" block will be assigned for the provision of information of general interest (auto transportation, including taxi, railway and transportation, medical services), which are currently provided through local short numbers 14XX. The numbers from “0905 XXXXX” block will be assigned for the following content services: general information, business, marketing, etc, whereas the numbers of “0906 XXXXX” block – for adult entertainment services.

Another novelty of the NNP is that numbers from the “071X XXXXX” block will be assigned for services provided by virtual mobile network providers (Mobile Virtual Network Operators - MVNO). The latter, although not licensed for the use of radio frequencies, will provide services using other elements of public mobile networks, based on agreements with providers of these networks.

Under the current legislation, ANRCETI is entitled to manage the NNP, assign numbering resources upon request, to providers of electronic communications networks and services. They use the assigned resources for their needs, offer them to their subscribers or other persons authorized to provide public services. In 2009, the Agency assigned approximately 722,000 telephone numbers.

May 26, 2010