Subscribers to broadband Internet access services outnumber 450,000

The number of subscribers to fixed and mobile broadband Internet access services in January-June increased by 37.5% compared with the corresponding period last year, to over 455,000, show data of the national electronic communications and information technology regulator, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The fixed broadband Internet penetration rate per 100 people reached 8.7%, while the mobile broadband Internet access penetration rate exceeded 4%. The providers of fixed broadband Internet access services in the period connected 41,000 new subscribers to their networks. About 30,600 or 74.6% of the new subscribers were connected to the network of SA Moldtelecom. The companies Starnet and Sun Communications increased the number of their subscribers by 5,100 (12.4%) and, respectively, 2,900 (7.1%). The other providers connected the rest of 5.9% of the clients. The subscribers to Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line broadband Internet at the end of the first half of the year represented 60%, to fiber optic Internet services – 36%, while to Internet through cable TV – 3.5%. The three providers of 3G mobile phone services over six months connected about 23,300 new subscribers. SA Moldcell acquired 14,000 new subscribers, while SA Orange Moldova and SA Moldtelecom – about 4,000 and, respectively, 5,200 new subscribers to mobile Internet services. At the end of June, SA Orange Moldova had over 75,700 subscribers to 3G mobile Internet services, SA Moldcell – about 54,900, while SA Moldtelecom – 14,300. The sales reported by the providers of fixed broadband Internet access services increased by 21.7% compared with the first half of last year, to over 303.2 million lei.