Moldova Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 196

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Moldova seeing steady decline in telecom revenue

The Moldovan telecom market has been affected by a combination of high unemployment and economic difficulties which have led to constraints on consumer spend. In turn this has resulted in telecom revenue having fallen steadily in recent years. This decline continued into 2020, with a 6.3% in revenue from the important mobile sector alone, year-on-year.

Moldova’s aspirations to join the EU have encouraged the government and regulator to adopt a range of measures to bring the country’s telecoms sector into line with EU principles and standards. In July 2017 the Electronic Communications Act was amended to accommodate the 2009 European regulatory framework, while further amendments were adopted in December 2017 and additional changes were proposed in 2019. Moldova is also part of the Eastern Partnership group of countries, and as such has set in train a glidepath to reducing roaming charges, effective between 2022 and 2026. The country’s broadband strategy through to 2025 has been supported by the ITU and industry counterparts from Korea.

The internet market is developing rapidly, and though the penetration rate is well below the average for most European countries there are many opportunities for further development. The market is highly competitive, with 101 active ISPs as of early 2021, though Moldtelecom and Starnet between them account for most connections. The number of cable broadband subscribers is increasing steadily, though fibre is now by far the strongest sector. By the end of 2020 fibre accounted for about 72.3% of all fixed broadband connections.

The mobile market has also grown rapidly, and the sector accounts for the majority of total telecoms revenue. The triopoly of operators is dominated by Orange Moldova, while the launch of LTE services has opened up a new revenue growth opportunity centred on mobile broadband. The near comprehensive geographical reach of their mobile networks, market brand recognition and existing customer relationships will make for steady subscriber growth in coming years.

Key developments:

Fintur Holdings sells its stake in Moldcell to CG Cell Technologies;
Regulator preps for multi-spectrum auction with licenses valid to 2029, issues mobile license to IDC;
Orange Group acquires the cableco Sun Communications, secures additional licences in the in the 800MHz and 900MHz bands;
Moldcell expands the reach of LTE services;
Regulator suspends 3.4GHz auction after no bids are offered;
Report update includes regulator's market data to March 2022, telcos' operating and financial data to Q1 2022, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Moldtelecom, Orange Moldova; Moldcell, IDC

Key statistics
Regional Europe Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnection
Access
Fixed Number Portability (NP)

Mobile network developments

GSM licences
CDMA licence
UMTS licences
800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz
1900MHz and 2100MHz bands
4G licences
2.5GHz and 3.4GHz
Multi-spectrum auction – 2019
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Roaming

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

4G (LTE)

Mobile voice
Mobile data

SMS and MMS

Mobile broadband
M2M
Major mobile operators

Orange Moldova
Moldcell
Eventis
Moldtelecom
IDC

Mobile content and applications

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Fixed network operators

Moldtelecom
InterDnestrCom (IDC)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Moldova – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Change in telecom revenue by service type (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 3 – Change in market share of telecom revenue by service type – 2013 – 2022
Table 4 – Development of telecom investment by service type (MDL million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 5 – Change in telecom subscribers by service type (Thousand)– 2012 – 2022
Table 6 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2013 – 2020
Table 7 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2013 – 2020
Table 8 – Development of mobile market revenue by operator (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 9 – Growth in the number of registered mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2022
Table 10 – Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 11 – Development of mobile ARPU by operator – 2012 – 2022
Table 12 – Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Table 13 – Change in the share of mobile market revenue by operator – 2013 – 2022
Table 14 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 15 – Overview of mobile technologies by operator
Table 16 – Development of LTE population coverage by operator – 2012 – 2021
Table 17 – Development of mobile voice traffic – 2014 – 2022
Table 18 – Change in mobile traffic per subscriber, by operator (minutes per user) – 2012 – 2022
Table 19 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2012 – 2022
Table 20 – Change in the volume of SMS and MMS messages sent – 2012 – 2022
Table 21 – Development of mobile broadband revenue (MDL million) – 2013 – 2022
Table 22 – Change in the share of broadband revenue (fixed and mobile) – 2014 – 2022
Table 23 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 24 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Table 25 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2022
Table 26 – Revenue from mobile internet services, by operator (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 27 – Change in the share of mobile broadband revenue by operator – 2014 – 2022
Table 28 – Revenue from dedicated mobile broadband services, by operator (MDL million)– 2012 – 2022
Table 29 – Development of M2M connections and revenue – 2015 – 2022
Table 30 – Growth in the number of Orange Moldova’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 31 – Development of Orange Moldova’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 32 – Orange Moldova mobile’s revenue by quarter – 2015 – 2020
Table 33 – Change in the number of Moldcell’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 34 – Change in Moldcell’s revenue (MDL) – 2012 – 2022
Table 35 – Change in the number of Moldtelecom’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 36 – Development of Moldtelecom’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2022
Table 37 – Growth in broadband and data market revenue (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 38 – Development of broadband revenue by operator (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 39 – Market share of broadband revenue by operator – 2012 – 2022
Table 40 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 41 – Change in fixed broadband market share by subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 42 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by access type (Thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 43 – Change in broadband access share by technology – 2011 – 2022
Table 44 – Change in fixed broadband penetration by technology – 2012 – 2022
Table 45 – Change in the proportion of broadband lines by access speed – 2014 – 2022
Table 46 – Change in fixed broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Table 47 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 48 – Decline in the number of DSL subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Table 49 – Growth in the number of FttX subscribers by operator (Thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 50 – Decline in fixed network revenue by operator (MDL million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 51 – Fixed line subscriber market share of revenue: Moldtelecom and altnets – 2012 – 2022
Table 52 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers by operator (Thousand)– 2012 – 2022
Table 53 – Fixed line market share of subscribers: Moldtelecom and altnets – 2014 – 2022
Table 54 – Decline in fixed-line ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Table 55 – Development of Moldtelecom’s revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 56 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 57 – Decline in fixed voice traffic – 2017 – 2022
Table 58 – Decline in fixed voice traffic per subscriber by operator – 2013 – 2022
Table 59 – Growth in international internet bandwidth – 2011 – 2020
Table 60 – Historic - SMS and MMS messages sent – 2002 – 2011
Table 61 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 1998 – 2011
Table 62 – Historic - Moldcell revenue (SEK) – 2009 – 2011
Table 63 – Historic - 2G population coverage by operator – 2009 – 2011
Table 64 – Historic - Mobile market revenue by operator (Million) – 2004 – 2011
Table 65 – Historic - Orange Moldova annualised blended ARPU – 2007 – 2011
Table 66 – Historic - Orange Moldova quarterly blended ARPU – 2012 – 2017
Table 67 – Historic - 3G population coverage by operator – 2011 – 2019
Table 68 – Historic - Internet users, subscribers and penetration – 1999 – 2011
Table 69 – Historic - Mobile market ARPU by operator – 2004 – 2011
Table 70 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2004 – 2011
Table 71 – Historic - Broadband subscribers by access type (Thousand ) – 2005 – 2011
Table 72 – Historic - Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 73 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2011
Table 74 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2000 – 2011
Table 75 – Historic - Change in telecom revenue by service type (Million) – 2006 – 2011
Table 76 – Historic - Growth in Orange Moldova’s mobile subscriber base – 2007 – 2011
Table 77 – Historic - Development of Moldcell’s mobile subscriber base – 2007 – 2011
Table 78 – Historic - Change in fixed broadband market share by subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 79 – Historic - Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 80 – Historic - Development of telecom investment by service type (Million) – 2008 – 2011
Table 81 – Historic - Change in telecom subscribers by service type (Thousand)– 2007 – 2011
Table 82 – Historic - Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2008 – 2011
Table 83 – Historic - Change in Moldcell’s revenue (MDL) – 2004 – 2011
Table 84 – Historic - Development of Moldtelecom’s mobile subscriber base – 2008 – 2011
Table 85 – Historic - Development of Moldtelecom’s mobile revenue – 2007 – 2011
Table 86 – Historic - Market share of broadband revenue by operator – 2008 – 2011
Table 87 – Historic - Change in broadband access share by technology – 2008 – 2011
Table 88 – Historic - Change in fixed broadband penetration by technology – 2008 – 2011
Table 89 – Historic - Change in fixed broadband ARPU – 2008 – 2011
Table 90 – Historic - Decline in fixed network revenue by operator (Million) – 2008 – 2011
Table 91 – Historic - Fixed line subscriber market share of revenue: Moldtelecom and altnets – 2008 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Europe – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Change in telecom revenue by service type – 2012 – 2022
Chart 11 – Change in market share of telecom revenue by service type – 2013 – 2022
Chart 12 – Development of telecom investment by service type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 13 – Change in telecom subscribers by service type – 2012 – 2022
Chart 14 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2013 – 2020
Chart 15 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2013 – 2020
Chart 16 – Development of mobile market revenue by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 17 – Growth in the number of registered mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2022
Chart 18 – Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 19 – Development of mobile ARPU by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 20 – Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 21 – Change in the share of mobile market revenue by operator – 2013 – 2022
Chart 22 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 23 – Development of LTE population coverage by operator – 2012 – 2021
Chart 24 – Development of mobile voice traffic – 2014 – 2022
Chart 25 – Change in mobile traffic per subscriber, by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 26 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2012 – 2022
Chart 27 – Change in the volume of SMS and MMS messages sent – 2012 – 2022
Chart 28 – Development of mobile broadband revenue – 2013 – 2022
Chart 29 – Change in the share of broadband revenue (fixed and mobile) – 2014 – 2022
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 31 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2009 – 2022
Chart 32 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2022
Chart 33 – Revenue from mobile internet services, by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 34 – Change in the share of mobile broadband revenue by operator – 2014 – 2022
Chart 35 – Revenue from dedicated mobile broadband services, by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 36 – Growth in the number of Orange Moldova’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 37 – Development of Orange Moldova’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 38 – Change in the number of Moldcell’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 39 – Change in Moldcell’s revenue (MDL) – 2012 – 2022
Chart 40 – Change in the number of Moldtelecom’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 41 – Development of Moldtelecom’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 42 – Growth in broadband and data market revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 43 – Development of broadband revenue by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 44 – Market share of broadband revenue by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 45 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 46 – Change in fixed broadband market share by subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 47 – Broadband subscribers by access type – 2012 – 2022
Chart 48 – Change in broadband access share by technology – 2011 – 2022
Chart 49 – Change in fixed broadband penetration by technology – 2012 – 2022
Chart 50 – Change in the proportion of broadband lines by access speed – 2014 – 2022
Chart 51 – Change in fixed broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Chart 52 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 53 – Growth in the number of FttX subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 54 – Decline in fixed network revenue by operator – 2011 – 2022
Chart 55 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2022
Chart 56 – Decline in fixed-line ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Chart 57 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 58 – Decline in fixed voice traffic – 2017 – 2022
Chart 59 – Decline in fixed voice traffic per subscriber by operator – 2013 – 2022

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Europe – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Europe – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Europe – Market Emergents and market developments

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Moldova Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Moldova seeing steady decline in telecom revenue

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Europe Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views