AZG Armenian Daily #120, 30/06/2005
Telecommunication
LOWER THAN ARMENTEL’S, FARES OF VIVA CELL ARE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT
The second mobile phone operator, VIVA Cell, finally made public
its fares. The fares, as it was predicted, are lower than those of
ArmenTel but only somewhat. But still, the prices of the new operator
justified the hopes of thousands of people waiting for the company
to get in.
VIVA Cell’s Alo card, equivalent to ArmenTel’s Easy, will cost 7.000
drams. The top-up cards will be available at the price of 2.000,
4.500, 7.000, 9.500 and 18.000 drams with expire dates of 20, 55,
100, 150, 300 days respectively. In each case, it is possible to win
5 extra days.
The fares for per minute payment are very close to those of ArmenTel
with only, but essential, difference of low fare for rush hours. Within
the VIVA Cell network a minute of talk will cost 80 drams for non-rush
hours (from 11 pm to 7 am), 90 drams for rush hours and fares for SMS
will be 20 drams for local and 55 drams for international connection.
If Alo cards are available at the stores of other companies and banks
but VIVA Cell itself, then the Classic cards, equivalent to SIM cards
of ArmenTel, will be on sale only at the stores of the operator. For
switching on a subscriber needs to pay 4.500, and the license fee
is 4.000 drams. Fare for SMS is the same. Per minute payment within
the network will be 48 drams and 55 drams for connected with other
operators. A novelty that the company provides is the low fare –
44 drams – on Sundays.
The fares for international calls are the same for both cards. Calls
to Russia and Georgia in rush hours will be 235 and non-rush hours
165 drams, calls to other CIS and Baltic states – 285 and 200 drams,
calls to Canada, USA, Europe and Australia – 430 and 300, calls to
Middle East countries – 350 and 245 drams.
The other innovation of VIVA Cell is the alternative of acquiring a
corporative package. In this case, the “Business” group comprised of
5-20 lines will pay 40 drams per minute, the “Business Plus” group
comprised of 21-100 lines – 38 drams per minute and the “Optima”
group having more than 100 lines will pay 36 drams per minute. All
the fares include VAT.
By Ara Martirosian