Mobile Phone Service in Moldova

Moldova is awash in mobile phones.  There are several providers, Orange, Moldcell, YoYo, and Eventis. Competition is strong, prices are cheap compared to the U.S.  


Phones are bought "unlocked" you buy a SIM card for the provider you like and away you go.  Most people just do the prepay plan.  I tried the contract plan but I found it to be much more expensive. I use Orange prepay now.  Until recently you had to buy a "scratch off" card to refill minutes, but now there are electronic machines in many places where you can enter your number, feed money to the machine and refill without the bother of buying the card.  There is no cost to receive a call.  Only the calling party pays. 


The plan I have gives me really cheap talking to two favorite numbers and a lot of time free on nights and weekends. I spent about $10 on phone service last month.  


The mobile providers also have high speed internet available with a cigarette lighter size USB modem.  That service is basically unlimited and is about $12 a month.  So if you want to live out in the sticks in a village you can and still have great internet connection anywhere in Moldova.  


The land line carrier, Moldtelecom also has high speed DSL available.  I was in the village Easter weekend at the home of my wife's uncle.  No inside running water or toilet.  The kitchen is an outbuilding with a 2 burner butane stove and a big wash tub for doing dishes.  They have a laptop with high speed DSL.   


A lot of people in the rural areas still use horse and wagon for transportation.  It is not at all uncommon to see a guy driving one of them and have a mobile phone hanging around their neck.