Internet is more accessible in villages

The number of centers of public access to the Internet opened in raional centers and villages of the republic increased in the first 9 months of the current year, in a higher rhythm than those in the urban areas, a report of the National Regulatory Agency in Telecommunications and Informatics (ANRTI) shows. According to a press-communiqué of the Agency, in the respective period, the national authority for regulations in the domain authorized 75 companies to offer informatics’ services in public places. These companies already started offering their services in 120 centers, placed in 82 localities, of which 80 – in raional centers and villages. In the same period, “Moldtelecom” JSC opened 46 centers of public access to the Internet in 37 localities of the republic. In nine months of the last year, economic agents that obtained licenses for this type of activity opened 103 centers for providing informational services, of which 62 are placed in the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti, and 41 – in villages and raional centers. In 2002-2006, 470 license owners, authorized to provide informational services in public centers, have been registered at ANRTI. These services are offered in 511 buildings, among which 334 are placed in the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti, and 177 in raional centers and villages. The greatest number of centers of public access to Internet was opened in Drochia, Ialoveni, Anenii Noi, Falesti, Soroca, Nisporeni and Edinet raions. Usually in villages these centers function in the buildings of local houses of culture, schools, lyceums and libraries. License owners have on average 7-10 computers each. In villages the most common is the dial up internet connection provided by “Moldtelecom”. Experts from ANRTI explain these evolutions by the rapid increase of the demand for internet services, including rural localities. Another cause is the launching of convenient and attractive offers for the users. According to the cited source, positive tendencies on this segment of the market as well as the actions organized by authorities in order to implement The National Strategy for Building the Informational Society will reduce the so-called “digital gap” between the city and the village, a fact that will allow the villagers to benefit from all the advantages of the access to Internet for communication, studies and business. According to the sociological polls realized at the end of 2005, 28.5% from the population of the republic utilize computers, of which 10.2% - at home. The same polls show that 16% of the population has access to internet, of which 33.9%- in urban localities and 4.6 – in the rural ones.