Trends in the development of the market for internet access services in the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

The paper presents a brief overview of the current development of the Internet access market in the Republic of Moldova. The actuality of the research is determined by the cardinal transformations in the evolution of the society and its transformation into the information society. The main purpose of the research is to highlight the main characteristic trends of the development of the Internet services market in the Republic of Moldova. For this purpose, mathematical tools for comparative data analysis were used. The official statistical data of National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), published during the years 2013-2018, were analyzed. The key trends and issues facing this market are highlighted and discussed. Following the analysis of the evolution of the market for fixed and broadband Internet access services, it was found that this market is a constantly growing dynamic, on which it directly influences new developments in the field of information technologies, which stimulate the constant development of the market infrastructure. The global income of companies from providing Internet access services is increasing with an annual rate of about +200 million lei over the last 5 years. In 2018 this income constituted 2348.0 million lei or 1.23% of GDP. Changes that have taken place in consumer preferences are highlighted and analyzed, and aspects related to the prospects for the development of the Internet access services market in the Republic of Moldova are examined JEL: L860.