This is the first significant evidence that Romtelecom has begun gaining ground since it began massively losing customers to all other cable providers. Customers are switching from mainstream cable TV due to low quality of reception and, in some cases, to poor provider/client relations. UPC had 1,362,300 cable TV subscribers as of December 31, 2006, dropping by 37,800 clients to 1,324,500 on 31 March 2007, according to company officials. Dolce currently has over 220,000 subscribers.
In the past three years, Romtelecom has invested some €5 million in call-centers, which presently number 12, with more than 700 operators. Over 620,000 calls to the 930 subscriber information number were taken in May alone, with 90 percent of calls being answered in less than one minute.
In addition to its success with the Dolce digital tv service, Romtelecom has more than 160,000 individuals using the Clicknet Internet service. All Romtelecom services are based on voice subscription, with its star the RON 37 “unlimited” local and long-distance service, while UPC and RCS’s services are based on cable TV subscriptions for voice and internet services. UPC and RCS have lost clients using the voice and internet services in favor of Dolce cable TV. Romtelecom’s bills can be paid at 12,000 locations, including banks, ATMs, the post office, and Germanos and Romtelecom stores.
