RULES OF PROVISION AND USE OF PHONE SERVICES APPROVED

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 20, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. At the May 20 sitting, the RA Public
Services Regulatory Commission approved the rules of provision and
use of phone services. The current rules were approved as long ago
as 1998. The commission chairman Robert Nazarian told reporters that
the new rules will regulate the relations between the providers and
users of the services.

Besides, the new rules qualitatively differ from the current ones
as they specify the obligations of the consumer and the provider of
services. In particular, in case of disconnection of the user’s phone,
the user has the opportunity to call on the phone numbers of rapid
response services, including 02 and 03. The issue of prepaid cards will
be clarified within the next two days. ArmenTel proposes not returning
the sum that remains on prepaid cards, whereas the commission claims
that the consumer is not obliged to pay for unused minutes.

R. Nazarian said that the previous rules were related to a
service-providing company with a monopoly position, whereas now the
market has been liberalized and made competitive, which prompted
the commission to revise the rules. Besides, according to him, the
telecommunication sector is rapidly developing and it is not ruled out
that a necessity to amend the rules will arise in the next six months.

In the period from the decision’s coming into force to July 1, 2009,
the agreements on phone services provision signed with ArmeTel’s
subscribers shall be brought into line with the new rules.