TOO ‘TIGHT’ TARIFF POLICY IN ARMENIA WILL MAKE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET UNATTRACTIVE FOR INVESTORS
ArmInfo
2010-02-22 17:31:00
ArmInfo. The tariff policy in the telecommunications sector is an
important component of the information society formation strategy,
said Igor Klimko, Director General of ArmenTel (subsidiary of VimpelCom
OJSC), at the international economic forum BRIDGE-2010 in the Armenian
resort town of Tsakhkadzor on Monday.
"Today we have infrastructure that makes it possible for us to
settle the most complicate tasks. And we constantly improve it. The
government’s regulatory role is very important here. Loosing the screws
just for a momentary fall of prices may make investing in development
of infrastructure just unattractive for business. In this context,
we are actively cooperating with the regulator trying to find the
optimal solution from the viewpoint of the present tariffs and the
prospects of development of the sector in general," Klimko said.
Armenia is not trailing behind others by the number of Internet
users yet. "Anticipating remarks by the participants in the meeting,
I have to admit that the company I am heading today had been justly
considered the key factor hindering development of telecommunications
and Internet-accessibility in the country for long years. I will
not repeat the ideas known to everyone that the present owner of
the company, VimpelCom, did everything possible to liberalize all
the markets the country was present. It is good, of course, but not
enough. We are well aware that it is our social mission to stimulate
rapid growth of the sector, to bolster Armenia’s integration into the
information space and to help the government and the public in this
process, " Igor Klimko said. In this context, he highlighted that
over 75% of the fixed-line communication network in Armenia have
been digitized (Armenia is on the second position in the CIS after
Uzbekistan by this index). This allowed the company introducing
technologies of data-transmission over digital telephone networks
increasing Internet access for several times. In 2010 the 3G network
in the country will be extended thrice and dozens of thousands of
new ports for WiMax will be installed in the fixed-line network.
"The extension of the network lays the groundwork for the future as
the market of the finished internet services in Armenia is developing
very dynamically",- said the ArmenTel director general. He pointed
out that the number of users of ArmenTel services via internet on the
basis of wire-connected technologies tripled in 2009. In addition,
the company has already completed construction of the orthern fiber
optical ring, which is 120 km long. A similar ring is currently being
built in the south of the republic. "This will not affect so much
the speed of traffic transmission inside the country as its volume is
not so big, however, the reliability of data transmission will grow
for many times",- he added. He pointed out that the company is ready
to work at creation of a traffic exchange center inside Armenia to
reduce the load on the external channels and decrease the internet
prime cost for end users. "We are ready to cooperate and support
everyone interested in creation of such a resource. You can call it
our corporate social responsibility if you want",- said Klimko.
ArmenTel CJSC is the Armenian subsidiary of VimpelCom OJSC. ArmenTel
is one of the largest telecommunication operators and tax payers of
Armenia. The company is the largest fixed communication operator in
Armenia by its coverage and one of the leading cellular operators
and internet providers in the country. As of the end of Q3 2009,
the company had 502 thsd subscribers of cellular communication and
18.1 thsd subscribers of WiMax internet.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress