Digital TV, IPTV grow in Moldova

The number of subscribers receiving paid digital TV services in Moldova rose by 3.8% in 2015 to 138,100, according to data published by the regulator ANRCETI.

As a result, they accounted for over half of the total number of subscribers opting for pay-TV. The latter total, which stood at 274,900 as of the end of 2015, was 0.3% higher than a year earlier.

Of the 274,900, 75% opted for cable and the remaining 25% IPTV. More than half of all subscribers received digital TV via cable, with the rest IPTV.

The number of IPTV subscribers rise by 9.8% to 68,800, while revenues increased by 5% to over MDL58.1 million (€2.6 million). At the same time, the cable subscriber total fell by 1.5% to 206,100, with revenues falling by 9% to MDL97.5 million. ARPU for pay-TV services rose by 0.9% to MDL48.2.

Moldtelecom was the leading provider of pay-TV services with a market share of 28.9%. It was followed by Sun Communications (28%), TV Box (8.1%) and AMT (3.7%), with the remaining 79 providers having a combined share of around 31.3%.

Moldova awards DTT licence

The Moldovan regulator ANRCETI has awarded a DTT multiplex licence to the national transmission company Radiocomunicatii.

The licence, which is free of charge and for a period of five years, can be renewed. It allows Radiocomunicatii to use frequencies in the 470-694 MHz radio band to provide electronic communications networks and DTT services on the national multiplex B, which contains six radio channels, each of 8 MHz.

Under the terms of the licence, Radiocomunicatii is required to ensure that its transmitters in the areas covered by the multiplex reach 65% and 95% of the territory and population by the end of 2016, rising to 70% and 99% respectively by the end of 2017.

Radiocomunicatii was awarded a licence for the first national DTT multiplex (A), under the same conditions on June 17.

Moldova’s Broadcasting Coordinating Council (CCA) will award channel licences for the two multiplexes.

Moldova starts digitisation process

Moldova has officially begun its transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting, having approved a strategy and amendments to existing legislation on April 22.

Quoting Pavel Filip, the head of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications,Mediasat reports that the transition will take place in several stages, with simulcasting taking place for the three years up until analogue switch off.

While the state owned company Radiocomunicatii will issue digital broadcasting licences and allocate frequencies, there is as yet no prospective investor in national multiplexes.

Moldova eventually plans to have three national, along with 21 regional, multiplexes.

Moldova pay TV subscribers down 6,462 in 1Q 2015

CHIȘINĂU — Moldova’s National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) has published pay TV statistics for the first quarter of 2015. The total number of subscribers at the end of the period was 267,577, 6,462 down from the end of 2014, and down 15,734 year-on-year.

Three quarters of subscriptions are via cable, with IPTV making up almost all of the rest. A majority of cable subscribers have an analogue connection, so for digital television, the split between cable and IPTV is nearly even.

SUN COMMUNICATIONS continues to lead the market, in terms of subscribers, with a share of 38% – slightly up in the quarter. Moldtelecom is second with a 20.9% share.

Number of subscribers

                                                  2014     2015
                    ----------------------------------  -------
                         Q1       Q2       Q3       Q4       Q1
                    -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
Total               283,311  285,997  282,131  274,039  267,577

Market share by operator

                                                  2014     2015
                    ----------------------------------  -------
                         Q1       Q2       Q3       Q4       Q1
                    -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
SUN COMMUNICATIONS    36.8%    35.9%    36.4%    37.5%    38.0%
Moldtelecom           18.3%    18.3%    18.9%    19.9%    20.9%
A.M.T.                 6.7%     6.3%     5.7%     5.8%     5.0%
Focus Sat              2.6%     2.6%     2.5%        -        -
Others                35.7%    36.9%    36.4%    36.9%    36.2%

Share by technology

                Q1 2015
                -------
Cable TV          75.4%
IPTV              24.4%
MMDS               0.2%

analogue            59%
digital             41%
- Cable TV       51.87%
- IPTV           47.73%
- MMDS            0.40%

Moldovan DTH platform banned

The DTH platform Focus-Sat has been banned from providing pay-TV services in Moldova for six months.

It has also been fined MDL8,000 (€380.6).

In a statement, the regulator ANRCETI says that this follows a decision by the Court of Appeal in Chisinau, following on from an original decision on September 30 that was upheld by the court on December 2 last year.

According to Newsmaker, the action against the Focus-Sat stemmed from a number of complaints from customers about substandard service and the impossibility of contacting the platform.

It adds that Focus-Sat is the third largest provider of pay-TV services in Moldova, claiming 7,300 subscribers and a 3.7% share of the market.

Another Moldovan regulator – the Coordination Council on Television and Radio (CCA) has also received complaints about Focus-Sat and imposed a maximum fine of MDL5,400 on the platform last December.

Focus-Sat is majority owned by Kronos Business Group (53.68%), with Media Horizons (26.94%) and the cable operator Sun Communications (9.38%) being the next largest shareholders.

Smaller shareholders include Eastern Space Systems (Romania) and Eastern Space Systems Bulgaria (Bulgaria), with the company’s authorised capital being MDL50.7 million.

Industry sources now believe Focus-Sat faces the real prospect of being closed.

Moldovan DTH platform banned

The DTH platform Focus-Sat has been banned from providing pay-TV services in Moldova for six months.

It has also been fined MDL8,000 (€380.6).

In a statement, the regulator ANRCETI says that this follows a decision by the Court of Appeal in Chisinau, following on from an original decision on September 30 that was upheld by the court on December 2 last year.

According to Newsmaker, the action against the Focus-Sat stemmed from a number of complaints from customers about substandard service and the impossibility of contacting the platform.

It adds that Focus-Sat is the third largest provider of pay-TV services in Moldova, claiming 7,300 subscribers and a 3.7% share of the market.

Another Moldovan regulator – the Coordination Council on Television and Radio (CCA) has also received complaints about Focus-Sat and imposed a maximum fine of MDL5,400 on the platform last December.

Focus-Sat is majority owned by Kronos Business Group (53.68%), with Media Horizons (26.94%) and the cable operator Sun Communications (9.38%) being the next largest shareholders.

Smaller shareholders include Eastern Space Systems (Romania) and Eastern Space Systems Bulgaria (Bulgaria), with the company’s authorised capital being MDL50.7 million.

Industry sources now believe Focus-Sat faces the real prospect of being closed.