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

According to the data on the evolution of the market for mobile broadband services in nine months of 2018, aggregated by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the number of users accessing 4G broadband increased significantly, by the end of 2017, by 42,2%, up to 984,2 thousand, and the number of users of broadband access (smartphones) and dedicated access (via modems / cards) increased by 20,9% and exceeded 2,9 million. The volume of traffic during this period increased by 29,8% compared to the same period of last year and reached 61,3 million GB, while the total volume of sales in this sector increased by 17,3% and amounted to 779,3 million lei.

The data presented to ANRCETI by the three providers of mobile communications networks and services (Orange Moldova, Moldcell and Moldtelecom - Unite) show that during the reporting period the number of 4G users via smartphones increased 45,8% and reached 889,5 thousand, and the number of those accessing 4G dedicated broadband increased by 15% and reached 94,7 thousand. As a result of this evolution, the penetration rate of mobile broadband per 100 inhabitants increased by 14,3 percentage points and reached 82,7%.

The same data show that the traffic generated by mobile broadband users by means of smartphones increased by 64,2% to 25,6 million GB, and the traffic generated by dedicated mobile users (via modems/cards) increased by 12,9% up to 35,7 million GB. A smartphone user generated an average of 1,5GB of traffic per month, and a dedicated broadband user - a monthly traffic of 12,5 GB.

As a result of the increase in the total volume of mobile broadband revenues in the nine months of 2018, the average monthly revenue (ARPU) per dedicated broadband user increased by 0,3%, up to 78,1 lei, the revenue per mobile broadband user by means of a smartphone declined by 2,8% to 27,2 lei.

At the end of the reporting period, the three mobile broadband providers had the following market shares, in terms of turnover: Orange Moldova - 63%, Moldcell - 27,2% and Moldtelecom - 9,8%.

November 29, 2018