The mobile phone users in 2017 continued to be the most active in using the number portability service. According to the national ICT regulator (ANRCETI), 28,800 mobile phone users made use of this service last year. This is 92% of the number of those who used the number portability service last year, IPN reports.

Compared with 2016, the total number of ported phone numbers decreased by 5,600 (-15%). Such a situation is due to the steps taken by mobile phone carriers to balance offers, including charges, as the users have fewer reasons to change from one phone company to another.

Of the 28,800 mobile phone numbers ported in 2017, over 11,000 were ported to the network of Moldcell, more than 10,000 to the network of Orange Moldova, while 7,200 to the network of Moldtelecom (Unite).

The number portability service last year was also used by 2,300 landline users. Such a low number is due to the lack of alternative fixed networks with national coverage and the technical incapacity of subscribers connected to the network based on analogous technologies to use the given service.

During the four years and a half of the launch of the number portability service (July 2013), there were ported about 182,199 numbers, over 166,900 of which were mobile phone numbers (91.6% of the total), while about 15,200 were landline phone numbers (8.3% of the total).

Any landline or mobile phone user in Moldova can benefit from the number portability service free of charge based on an application submitted to the chosen phone company.