Number of mobile phone users exceeds two million

The number of mobile phone users in Moldova in the first quarter of this year increased by 47.3% compared with the corresponding period last year, to 2.088 million people. This figure at the start of 2008 was 1.882,8 million. The mobile phone penetration rate per 100 people rose by 19.7%, to close to 61%, the National Regulatory Agency in Electronic Communications and Information Technology said in a report, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The number of mobile phone users reached one million in September 2005. In half a year, in May 2007, the users totaled 1.5 million. According to ANRCETI, over 205,800 new users have been connected to the mobile phone network over three months, a threefold increase compared with January-March 2007. Moldcell attracted the largest number of new clients - 103,900. Early in April, Orange Moldova had 1.349,5 million clients, Moldcell - 660,100, Unite – 66,500, and Eventis – 12,500. The turnover of the mobile phone operators rose by 28.7%, to about 646.5 million lei. Orange Moldova reported the largest sales volume - of approximately 426.9 million lei. The average monthly revenue per user of these providers grew by 1.2%, to 122.1 lei. By turnover, Orange Moldova has a share market of 66%, Moldcell – 27.6%, Unite – 5.4%, and Eventis – about 0.3%. Investments in mobile telephony have almost doubled compared with the first quarter of 2007, exceeding 228.4 million lei. Moldcell made the largest investments – of over 93.8 million lei. In 2007, the mobile phone operators invested 1.16 billion lei in the development of the sector and reached a record sales volume of 2.37 million lei. ANRCETI predicts that this year, this sector of the electronic communications market will grow at the same rates as in 2007. Four mobile phone operators work in Moldova at present. Orange Moldova (former Voxtel) started work in October 1998, Moldcell – in April 2000, Moldtelecom, under the trade name Unite, – in March 2007, while Eventis – in December 2007.