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

According to the statistical data on the evolution of mobile voice market, submitted to the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), by mobile providers, in the third quarter of 2020 this market increased in terms of voice traffic in mobile networks by 8.8%, compared to the same quarter of 2019, reaching over 1.7 billion minutes. The volume of sales decreased by 8% and was estimated at 765 million lei, and the total number of subscribers decreased, compared to the end of 2019, by 7.8% and showed 4.1 million.

The analysis of voice traffic shows that the calls made in the operators' own networks increased by 7.2%, totaling 1.2 billion minutes, those directed to fixed networks increased by 10%, totaling 68.9 million minutes, and those directed to other mobile networks increased by 19.6%, amounting to 366.7 million minutes.

The average monthly traffic per user (MoU) of mobile services increased, compared to the same situation last year, by 15.4% and was 326 minutes (five hours 26 minutes), and the average duration of a call was of 1.9 minutes.

The decrease in the total number of users of mobile voice services was determined by the decrease of the user base of two mobile providers. Thus, the number of Moldcell users decreased by 12.1%, and reached 1.3 million, of Orange Moldova decreased by 7.7% and reached 2.3 million, while of Moldtelecom-Unite increased by 7.5% and totaled 437.8 thousand.

Of the total number of subscribers, about 3.4 million were active mobile phone users, with a share of 82.6%. As a result of this evolution, the penetration rate of these services, per 100 inhabitants, equaled 128.1%.

During the reported timeframe, the average monthly revenue per active mobile voice user (ARPU) decreased, compared to the third quarter of 2019, by 2.8% and reached 75.9 lei. The ARPU of Orange Moldova was 78.3 lei, Moldtelecom-Unite - 74.9 lei and Moldcell - 71.6 lei.

The market shares of the three mobile voice providers by revenues were the following: Orange Moldova - 63%, Moldcell - 31% and Moldtelecom - 6%.

November 25, 2020