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 placed on its Internet page, for public consultations, the draft Administrative Board Decision on measures meant to ensure the protection of users of public electronic communications services. The consultation will last for 25 calendar days. Recommendations on the document are welcome till the deadline – April 26, 2010.

The draft document was developed pursuant to Art. 9 paragraph (1) section b) and u), Art.13 paragraph (1) section a) of the Law on Electronic Communications, for conformed enforcement of the provision of sub-section 2 of section 10 of the Regulations on General Authorization Regime and License Issuance for the use of limited resources in the provision of electronic communications networks and/or services, approved by ANRCETI Administrative Board Decision no.10 of 28.08.2008. It provides for the obligation of the provider of electronic communications networks and/or services to ensure, for the users of the services provided via the network under his operation, the access to customer relations services by dialing a single telephone number, free of charge, in order to enable them to register petitions and derangements in the given network or services, to obtain information on tariffs and services offered by this provider.

The draft document requires that the authorized providers of public electronic communications networks and/or services must ensure end users’ access to customer relations services via telephone numbers of ,,0800xxxxx” form (Freephone) free of charge.

Currently, fixed telephone providers use the short number “117” for the access to customer services. Proceeding from the fact that the working Group (WG NNA) dealing with the regulation of numbering resources within The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), to which Moldova is party, recommends to its members, to reserve the short numbers of 11x form and re-assign them for services harmonized at European level, the authors of the project proposes the use of ,,0800xxxxx” numbers, assigned from the National Numbering Plan, for access to customer services.

The Explanatory Note (doc. in state language) to the draft document explains the necessity to adopt such a decision through the fact that:
(i) it will contribute to the harmonization of national regulations in electronic communications to European standards;
(ii) it will increase the degree of end users protection;
(iii) it will make the end users aware of the possibility and encourage them to call, free of charge, information services by dialing telephone numbers of ,,0800xxxxx” form, (Freephone).

Interested persons are welcome to send recommendations on the draft decision under consultation to: office@anrceti.md. Contact: 251-312.

March 31, 2010