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

The statistical yearbook on electronic communications development of in 2019, published on the official website of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), shows that the electronic communications service market followed the trend of the last four years: recession of the mobile voice, fixed voice and pay TV markets, while mobile and fixed broadband markets remain the most dynamic markets in this sector.

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) approved Decision no. 9 of April 9, 2020 "Regarding the provision of publicly available electronic communications services during the emergency situation".

In 2019, the total number of users accessing the mobile broadband based on 4G technology, registered significant increase of 51.6%, compared to 2018, and was estimated at 1 million 546.3 thousand people. Out of this number, about 1 million 450 thousand used mobile broadband services via smartphones, up by 55%, and about 97 thousand used dedicated mobile broadband (via modems/cards), according to the data available with the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) on the evolution of the market for mobile broadband access services in 2019.

According to statistical data on the evolution of the market for audiovisual media services, aggregated by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), in 2019, the total volume of revenues from these services increased by 20%, reaching 298.6 million lei, and the total number of subscribers to pay TV services increased by 1.7%, to a total of 335.4 thousand. Following this evolution, the penetration rate of the pay TV services, per 100 inhabitants, increased by 0.4 percentage points and reached 12.5%, while the average monthly revenue per subscriber (ARPU) for pay TV services decreased by 6.5% and showed 39.1 lei.

Statistical data on the evolution of mobile voice market, reported to the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) show that, in 2019, the volume of voice traffic in mobile networks increased, compared to 2018, by 0.7 % and surpassed 6 billion 218 million minutes, while the average monthly traffic per user (MoU) increased by 4.3% and was estimated as 278 minutes (four hours and 38 minutes), the average duration of a call being 1.8 minutes. At the same time, the total number of users of these services decreased by 0.2% and totaled 4 million 438.4 thousand; the volume of revenues on this market segment decreased by 2%, totaling 3 billion 143 million lei.

As part of the monitoring of activities in the field of electronic communications, the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) found that in the timeframe March 09 – 23, 2020, the volume of traffic generated in electronic communications networks increased significantly compared to the same period of the previous year.

In connection with the emergency situation caused by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, pursuant to section 13 of the Provision of the Commission for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Moldova no. 3 of March 23, 2020, the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), approved Board Decision no. 6 of March 24, 2020 (BD no. 6/2020), which establishes the obligation of providers of publicly available electronic communications networks and services to block the access of their users to online sources disseminate fake news regarding the evolution of COVID-19 and to take steps to prevent such actions. The list of online sources that promote fake news about the evolution of COVID-19 is published and updated by the Security and Intelligence Service of Moldova, on its official website www.sis.md..

According to the statistical data regarding the evolution of the fixed broadband market in 2019, processed by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the total number of subscribers who prefer these services increased, compared to 2018, by 7,6%, totaling 670.5 thousand. However, most applicants chose fiber optic connections (FTTx), their number increasing by 14.7%, up to 452.3 thousand, and by coaxial cable, which increased by 20.6%, totaling 53,5 thousand. At the same time, the number of xDSL subscribers decreased by 10.5% down to 163 thousand, subscribers to these services via other technologies decreased by 28% down to 1.7 thousand. The penetration rate of these services, per 100 inhabitants, increased in one year by 2.2 percentage points, reaching 25%.

According to the statistical data on the evolution of fixed voice market, aggregated by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), the main indicators of this market continued to decrease in 2019. Thus, the total number of subscribers decreased, compared to 2018, by 3.3% and was estimated at 1 million 72 thousand, the total volume of traffic decreased by 14.1% and reached over 1 billion 154 million minutes, and the total revenues on this market decreased by 20.4% and down to 443 million 277.2 thousand lei. Following this evolution, the average monthly revenue per subscriber (ARPU) decreased by 17.8% and was equal to 33.9 lei. Thus, JSC Moldtelecom reported 35.7 lei ARPU (down by 19.1%), and alternative providers - 18.4 lei ARPU (down by 7.3%).

In connection with the emergency situation caused by the spread of COVID-19 virus, the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), recommends that electronic communications and postal service providers make use, to the fullest extent possible, of remote ways of communication and interaction with customers, such as customer support services via phones, e-mail and other available means of remote communication.