GOVERNMENT REGULATORY UPHOLDS ITS DECISION TO FINE ARMENTEL
Armenpress
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: A government-affiliated commission
for protection of economic competition upheld yesterday its August 12
decision to fine ArmenTel telephone operator company $400,000 for the
more than month-long breakdown of its network that caused widespread
anger among its nearly 300,000 subscribers from June 30 to July 10.
The ruling came in retaliation to ArmenTel August 26 complaint. The
commission ruled yesterday that the Greek-owned company, which
maintains its legal monopoly on fixed-line telephony and Internet
services in Armenia, has abused its “dominant position” in the
cellphone business. ArmenTel will have to pay the fine within one day
after it receives the commission’s decision, otherwise the commission
said it will take the case to court.
In the meantime ArmenTel telephone operator has denied today rumors
that it is going to switch off cellphone communication for ten days
offering all its clients instead a 5,000 drams worth compensation
for further conversations. A spokeswoman for the operator, said the
company is working to improve the quality of communication which will
‘once and for ever improve in a couple of weeks.”
She also confirmed that the operator is going to ask transport and
communication minister ‘to balance the tariffs for fixed telephone
lines,” which may implicate that ArmenTel is going to raise them.