Tuesday, December 21, 2004, during the press conference organised at the headquarters of the National Regulatory Authority for Communications, the ANRC President, Ion Smeeianu, released comparative data for the period 2003 – June 2004 regarding the main types of electronic communications networks.
As compared to the year 2003, by the end of the first semester of 2004, the use of Internet access services in Romania registered a rising trend. Thus, by June 30, 2004, the number of Internet access connections increased by 51.48%, as compared to the number of Internet access connections by the end of 2003. Out of the total number of Internet access connections, more than 45% represent dial-up connections, at fixed and mobile locations. The number of dial-up connections does not include the number of connections performed by means of prepaid cards with limited and unlimited Internet access, and the Internet access connections using Romtelecom "Premium Rate" access numbers.
Considering the bandwidth used for Internet access connections, by June 30, 2004 – as compared to the end of 2003 – broadband Internet access connections witnessed a growing trend, increasing by more than 26%. Narrowband Internet access connections are on the same rising curve, increasing by 23.85%. Thus, the percentage of broadband Internet access connections represented, on June 30, 2004, 21.88% of the total number of Internet access connections.
Furthermore, by the end of the first semester of 2004, the number of dedicated Internet access connections has grown by 78.97%, as compared to December 31, 2003, disregarding the support of the Internet access connection.