Internet in Moldova
When it comes to Internet access for individuals in Moldova - Moldtelecom (also known as MTC) and StarNet are the major players on the market. When it comes to Internet access for corporations, government organizations, embassies and NGO's the two big players are Moldtelecom and Arax. There are others such as SunCommunications, DanisNet, Globnet, Telemedia Group, Interdnestrcom, etc. All their headquarters except Interdnestrcom are located in Chişinău, Interdnestrсom is located in Tiraspol. Most of the services are offered only in Chişinău, with many areas in the country having only Dial-up access, which is rather expensive. Moldtelecom is the only ISP that offers its services throughout the country on a wide scale, StarNet and SunCommunications follow offering their services in Bălţi, Ungheni, Hâncești, Ialoveni, Stăuceni. Other ISPs work only within Chişinău or their hometown.
The closed joint stock company "Interdnestrсom" is Transnistrian "national" ISP that offers its services on a wide scale throughout Transnistrian territory under the brand of "OK". It is the only known large ISP in that area. Good internet access is only available in large cities with high speeds available only in Tiraspol and Bender.
ADSL
Moldtelecom
- Moldtelecom is the national communications company and is the main DSL provider in the county. It is the only ISP that offers its services outside Chişinău on a wide scale. Fees are different depending where the subscriber is located - a person living in a city will pay less and have faster connection than one located in a town or rural areas.
Speeds range from 256Kbit/s to 8Mbit/s with maximum payment of 480MDL or ~28€ / month, unlimited packages only.
StarNet
- StarNet, the second largest ISP in the county also offers ADSL services in Chişinău and Bălţi.
Speeds range from 4 to 10Mbit/s with maximum payment of 26€ / month, limited and unlimited packages.
OK
- OK offers service in Transnistria, a breakaway republic within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova. Since it doesn't recognize any Moldovan company on its territory it has its own "national" and the only ISP - Interdnestrcom (Template:Lang-ru) or IDC that provides Internet access via ADSL under the brand of OK. The IDC is the dominant Internet service provider in the Transnistria like Moldtelecom or StarNet in Moldova.
Speeds range from 128 to 1536kbit/s with maximum payment of 22€ / month, limited and unlimited packages.
Telemedia Group
- Telemedia Group is non-governmental telecommunications provider. The company provides internet access via ADSL.
Speeds range from 512Kbit/s to 5Mbit/s with maximum payment of 300MDL or ~18€ / month, limited and unlimited packages.
All speeds in example are external only and apply to home users not business!!!
Cable
SunCommunications
- The only provider for this mode is SunCommunications. It as StarNet offers services in Bălţi, however two cannot be compared, even tho Cable can offer high speeds SunCommunications does not appear to agree with that.
Speeds range from 512-2048kbit/s with maximum payment of 19€ / month, unlimited packages only.
All speeds in example are external only and apply to home users not business!!!
FTTB (Fiber-Optic)
StarNet
- StarNet is the pioneer of this technology in Moldova, it was the first ISP that begun to offer inet connection via fiber-optic cable, however the service is only available in Chişinău. StarNet's FTTB coverage of Chişinău is approximatley 60% and is expanding.
Speeds range from 512kbit/s to 10Mbit/s with maximum payment of 26€ / month, limited and unlimited packages.
Moldtelecom
- Moldtelecom is a new player on this arena. It begun to offer inet connection via FTTB in may 2008, the service is, as StarNet's, available only in Chişinău but the coverage area is inferior compared to StarNet's. However the net is being built (expanded) atm and is expected to match that of the StarNet's quite soon.
Speeds range from 512 kbit/s to 15 Mbit/s with maximum payment of 400MDL or ~25€ / month, unlimited packages only.
Arax
- Arax, is one of the largest ISP's in Chişinău to offer its services via FTTB. ARAX is the first company in Moldova to offer triple-play (Broadband Internet access, fixed telephony and digital TV) via own fiber-optic city-wide network.
Speeds range from 256Kbit to 4Mbit/s with maximum payment of 300MDL or ~20€ / month, limited and unlimited packages.
All speeds in example are external only and apply to home users not business!!!
Dial-up
Dial-Up is available throughout the country and is provided by Moldtelecom.
WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)
There has been several news about allowing Moldavian providers to use this technology. In August 2008 several meetings are planned to discuss this issue. If agreed, Chişinău and then all major cities in Moldova will have WiMax Internet access. The frequency is supposed to be 2.5 GHz. Both price and speed are unknown.
Mobile Internet
Unité
- Unité is a mobile network operator in Moldova. Working at the CDMA2000 standard, on 450 Mhz frequency. Moldtelecom is 100% shareholder of the operator. Unité provides Internet connection under the brand of NetRapido. The service is available throughout the country, with services at 2,4 Mbit/s.
Moldcell
- Moldcell is one of the largest mobile network operator in the country. Provides mobile Internet access at speeds up to 7.5Mbit/s (based on 3.5G technology). The coverage area includes Kishinev city only atm.
Orange
- Orange is another large mobile networks operator in the country. Provider atm does not provide hi-speed mobile Internet access, but is planning to in this year, Internet services will be offered via 3.5G technology.
Speeds
| Download | Upload | Available via |
|---|---|---|
| 56 Kbit/s | ~ Kbit/s | Dial-Up |
| 64 Kbit/s | ~ Kbit/s | ISDN |
| 128 Kbit/s | 128 Kbit/s | ISDN / ADSL |
| 256 Kbit/s | 256 Kbit/s | ADSL |
| 512 Kbit/s | ~ / 512 / 512 Kbit/s | Cable / FTTB / ADSL |
| 1 Mbit/s | ~ Kbit/s | Cable |
| 2 Mbit/s | ~ / 2 / 1 Mbit/s | Cable / FTTB / ADSL |
| 2,4 Mbit/s | ~ Kbit/s | Mobile |
| 3 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | ADSL |
| 4 Mbit/s | 4 / 1 Mbit/s | FTTB / ADSL |
| 5 Mbit/s | 5 / 1 Mbit/s | FTTB / ADSL |
| 6 Mbit/s | 6 / 1 Mbit/s | FTTB / ADSL |
| 7,2 Mbit/s | ~ Kbit/s | Mobile |
| 8 Mbit/s | 8 / 1 Mbit/s | FTTB / ADSL |
| 10 Mbit/s | 10 / 1 Mbit/s | FTTB / ADSL 2+ |
| 15 Mbit/s | 15 Mbit/s | FTTB |
If you want a more detailed list of speeds and prices please visit this link: List of Speeds
ISPs by category
| Provider | ADSL | Cable | FTTB | Mobile | Connection Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moldtelecom | + | - | + | - | max DL speed - 15Mbit/s |
| StarNet | + | - | + | - | max DL speed - 10Mbit/s |
| DataCom | - | - | + | - | max DL speed - 8Mbit/s |
| Moldcell | - | - | - | + | max DL speed - <7,2Mbit/s |
| Telemedia Group S.A. | + | - | - | - | max Dl speed - 5 Mbit/s |
| Arax | - | - | + | - | max DL speed - 4Mbit/s |
| DanisNet | - | - | + | - | max DL speed - 4Mbit/s |
| Unité | - | - | - | + | max Dl speed - <2,4 Mbit/s |
| SunCommunications | - | + | - | - | max DL speed - 2 Mbit/s |
| OK | + | - | - | - | max DL speed - 1.5 Mbit/s |
The "max DL speed" means maximum external DL speed for the most expensive package available for private (home) clients, not business!
Statistics
On September 2007 there were 727,700 Internet users in Moldova, with overall population 3,815,677, this means that only 19,5 % of population of Moldova have Internet access(Internet penetration), broadband users are even less - 21,800, most of them are from Chişinău.
On the 1.03 2004 there were 183 Internet Cafe registered only in Chişinău, however in later years that number decreased as computers and Internet became much cheaper. The most used package is Moldtelecom's "MaxDSL ECO" 4/1 Mbit/sec service. At the moment the overall throughput of all external internet channels owned by Moldtelecom is 4.4 Gbit/s.
In 2007 there were 38 registered ISP's in Moldova
The table below shows the number of Internet users in Moldova from year 2000 till present. Statistics are provided by ITU
| Year | Number of Users | Population | Penetration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ~25,000 | ~4,247,200 | 0,6% |
| 2004 | ~288,000 | ~4,197,929 | 6,9% |
| 2006 | ~406,000 | ~3,815,677 | 10,6% |
| 2007 | ~727,700 | ~3,815,677 | 19,5% |
History of Internet in Moldova
Internet in Moldova first appeared in 1995-'96 when first ISP's "CRI" and "Relsoft Communications" were born. In 1996 the first FTTB line between Chişinău and Bucureşti has been lead. In 1998 "Moldtelecom" became a part of Moldovan Internet, offering ISP services. Another provider started offering Internet access services - Arax (company founded in 1992). In 2000 IDKNet started providing internet access via Dial UP. In 2003 StarNet was born. In 2004 Moldtelecom launches MaxDSL. SunCommunications exists since 1993 but it begun to offer internet services only since 2004. In 2006 StarNet starts construction of FTTB ring in Chishinau. In 2007 StarNet begins to offer Internet access via FTTB. In 2008 Moldtelecom begins to offer internet via FTTB in Chishinau.
- 1991 - Registration of domain moldova.su
- 1992 - "Relsoft" the first ISP in Moldova is born.
- 1994 - Registration of domain MD.
- 1995 - First ISP's "CRI" and "Relsoft Communications" begin to offer ONLINE internet access.
- 1996 - First FTTB line between Chişinău and Bucureşti is lead.
- 1998 - Moldtelecom became a part of Moldavian Internet, offering ISP services.
- 1999 - Arax started providing Internet services.
- 2000 - IDKNet started offering Dial Up services in Transnistria.
- 2003 - StarNet is born.
- 2004 - Moldtelecom launches MaxDSL, new Internet service via ADSL, and SunCommunications begins to offer Internet services via cable.
- 2006 - StarNet and Arax begin construction of FTTB ring in Chişinău.
- 2007 - IDKNet launches OK, new internet service via ADSL offered in Transnistria. StarNet and Arax begins to offer internet services via FTTB (fiber-optic).
- 2008 - Moldtelecom launches MaxFiber, new internet servise via FTTB. Moldcell starts offering hi-speed mobile Internet services based on 3.5G technology.
Even though there are many ISP's that offer ADSL connection the majority of the population is limited to Dial Up only because they are located in small towns and country where the ADSL service is not available; furthermore, Dial Up prices are typically higher than the cheapest ADSL packages.
There has not been much progress since 1995. Most ISP's still are localized, some like Moldtelecom, StarNet and SunCommunications offer their services outside Chişinău. Until 2007 all ISP's offered very slow connection speeds for rather high prices.
Beginning from fall (2008) Moldtelecom started expanding its newly created fibernet - MaxFiber. Starting from 1st October Moldcell (mobile networks operator) started offering 3.5G services to its clients, one of these services is hi-speed mobile Internet (7,2Mbps).