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

2010 was the third consecutive year when the fixed telephony market was subject to the tendency of diminishing in value against the background of increasing number of subscribers to these services. The number of subscribers increased from 2009 by 22,42 thousand (1.97%) and reached one million 161 thousand. The volume of sales of fixed telephony services decreased by 0.66% and recorded 1 billion 915 million lei. These are the data available with the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI).

According to data of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI - www.anrceti.md) about the developments of Internet market in 2010, the number of subscribers to broadband Internet at fixed locations increased over 2009, by 44.1%, the number being 269.1 thousand, whereas the number of 3G mobile Internet users reached 119,6 thousand.

Data provided by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) show that in 2010, the total number of mobile users reached 3 million 165,1 thousand, which is about 13,7% increase, whereas the mobile penetration rate per 100 people increased 10,7 percentage points, reaching 88,8%.

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI - www.anrceti.md) is announcing of its intent, within 2 - 3 months, to complete the legal procedure of designating Moldtelecom as a provider with significant market power on the market for end-user access to the public telephone network at a fixed location, after which they will review and approve, in consultation with the Government, the tariffs for fixed telephone services provided by this supplier to end users – natural persons.

On February 22 - 23, John Horrocks, expert of the technical assistance project „Communications Regulation Development”, delivered to the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) is coming on a mission to hold several workshops on the current telecommunications problems of interest to both Agency specialists and telecoms operators.

The fragmentation of functions related to spectrum management, the lack of a clear policy and principles in this area, meant to guide the planning and solving important issues in terms of spectrum, in particular connected to the transition to digital television, to the implementation of strategies for broadband and other technologies and services creates impediments to the efficient use of spectrum, a factor that hampers the economic growth of the Republic of Moldova.

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI - www.anrceti.md) is announcing extended timeframe for public consultations, on its website, for the two draft administrative Board Decisions: on approving the Guidelines for the implementation of separate accounting (doc. in state language) within the internal accounting system by JSC Moldtelecom and imposition of special ex-ante obligations on JSC Moldtelecom, due to the significant market power of this company on the market for wholesale access to network infrastructure at a fixed location (market 4) and wholesale broadband access (market 5). Interested stakeholders are invited to submit recommendations before February 21, 2011.

Persons intending to run business on the market of public electronic communications networks and services will benefit from a simplified general authorization conditions, from an updated classified list of types of networks and services, simplified standard forms for notification and compilation of informative declaration. These are set by the new version of the Regulations on General Authorization Regime and License Issuance for the Use of Limited Resources, which came into force today, February 4th, being published in the Official Gazette.