Government plans to expand broadband Internet access by 20% by 2013

A program approved by the Government this week plans to expand broadband Internet access by 20% by 2013, Info-Prim Neo reports. The number of users of fixed-point Internet services exceeded the figure of 201,000 by the end of 2009. Of the total number, 8% are dial-up users and 92% and broadband users. The number of the latter category grew by 62% from 2008. However the penetration rate of fixed-point broadband Internet represented 5.27%, much lower than the EU average (around 23%). Deputy ICT Minister Dorin Recean said the Government program on the expansion of broadband Internet access aims to catch up with this progress and narrow the gap between the penetration rate in urban areas and rural communities in Moldova.