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) published today on the official website www.anrceti.md the announcement regarding the start of auction for issuing licenses for the use of radio frequencies in 450 MHz, e900 MHz and 2600 MHz bands.

The statistical yearbook on the development of the electronic communications market in 2020, published on the website of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), shows the same trends: recession of the markets for mobile and fixed voice, broadcasting and retransmission of audiovisual programs, amid the rapidly growing markets for mobile and fixed broadband.

According to the Report on Activity in 2020 of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), published on the website www.anrceti.md, throughout last year the authority continued to develop the regulatory framework of areas under its competence.

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) published on the official website www.anrceti.md, for public consultation, four draft decisions of the Board of Directors:

According to statistical data, aggregated by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the market for television services (TV) provided by IPTV technology showed significant increases in the previous year. The number of subscribers of IPTV services increased compared to 2019, by 16.7%, up to 210.7 thousand, and the volume of revenues from these services increased by 45.2%, reaching 129.6 million lei. At the same time, the total number of subscribers of pay TV services (via cable and IPTV networks) increased by 7.6% and reached 360.9 thousand. The penetration rate of pay TV services, per 100 households, increased by 3.5 pp. and reached 41%.

Statistical data on the evolution of the fixed broadband access market in 2020, presented to the National Regulatory Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) show that the number of applicants for fixed Internet access services enabling very high transfer speeds data (over 100 Mbps) increased by 62.7% compared to 2019, and reached over 167 thousand consumers, while the number of customers of fixed Internet access services at speeds between 30-100 Mbps increased by 3.6% and made 383.2 thousand. At the same time, the total number of subscribers increased by 7.2% and reached 719 thousand. The penetration rate of fixed broadband Internet access services, per 100 inhabitants, increased by 2.2 pp. and was estimated at 27.2%.

ANRCETI is hereby informing that, in connection with the exceptional situation caused by the spread of COVID-19, under the Order of the Commission for Exceptional Situations of the Republic of Moldova no. 1 of April 1, 2021, the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology, approved Administrative Board Decision no. 9 of April 2, 2021 (HCA no. 9/2021), which establishes the obligation of providers of publicly available electronic communications networks and services to block their users' access to online content sources that promote false news about the evolution of COVID-19 and protection/prevention measures.

Statistical data on the evolution of the mobile broadband market, analyzed by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) show that in 2020, users of Internet via smartphones generated traffic over 81.5 million GB, up by 55.3% compared to 2019. At the same time, dedicated mobile broadband traffic increased by 31.5% to 68.7 million GB, and the total mobile broadband access traffic increased by 43.4% and reached about 150.2 million GB. A user who accessed mobile broadband from his smartphone generated an average monthly traffic (AUPU) of 3.3 GB, up by 54.4%, and a dedicated mobile broadband user - of 26.8 GB, up by 46,1%.

In 2020, the fixed voice market continued to decline. The total number of subscribers decreased, compared to 2019, by 4.1% to 1.03 million, the total volume of traffic decreased by 0.6% to over 1.1 billion minutes, and the volume total revenues on this market decreased by 14.4% and totaled 379.6 million lei.

According to statistical data submitted to the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), by mobile communications providers, in 2020 users of mobile voice services generated a total voice traffic by 6.6%, higher compared to 2019 – a total of over 6.6 billion minutes. The revenues of providers on this market decreased by 6.3% and to a total of over 2.9 billion lei, and the total number of users of these services decreased by 7.4%, compared to the end of 2019 , making up over 4.1 million.