The number of users of fixed-line phone services over the first three months of this year increased by over 7,700 to 1.146 million. The fixed-line phone penetration rate was 32.1%, Info-Prim Neo has learned from the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology. The level of 32% was exceeded for the first time in the 120-year history of the Moldovan fixed-line telephony. The first 1 million fixed-line phone users was recorded in the autumn of 2006. At the start of April, SA Moldtelecom had 1.113 million clients, while the other carriers – over 33,000 together. Moldtelecom had a market share of 97.2%. The sales in the sector in the first quarter of this year decreased by 1.6% compared with the first quarter of 2009, to 466 million lei. Among the 15 fixed-line phone carriers that worked in the period were: SA Moldtelecom, the state-run company Moldova's Railways, Riscom SA, Arax - Impex SRL, Sicres SRL, and Starnet SRL.