Moldova's Fixed-line Operators Jan-Sept Sales Down 16.4%

In the third quarter alone, their sales declined 15.6% on the year to 481.59 million lei, the regulator said in a statement.

It added that sales in the third quarter rose by 6.0% compared to the second quarter, which could be a sign for stabilisation of the country’s fixed-line telephony market.

 The number of fixed-line subscribers reached 1.13 million at the end of September, up by 17,500 from the end of 2008. Moldova’s fixed-line penetration rate was at 31.7% at the end of September.

The fixed-line sector was dominated by the state-owned Moldtelecom, which had a 97.52% market share in terms of subscribers’ number and a 98.13% share in terms of sales at the end of September.

Some 21 fixed-line operators operated in Moldova at the end of September.

(1 euro=16.4554 Moldovan lei)