UPDATE: MTS: No Basis For Antitrust Probe On Roaming Prices
23 4월 2010 - 10:38PM
Dow Jones News
Russia's largest mobile operator OAO Mobile TeleSystems (MBT)
doesn't see any justification for the competition watchdog's
investigation into its roaming prices, the company's Chief
Executive said Friday.
Mikhail Shamolin told journalists that MTS last year derived
around a tenth of its $9.8 billion revenue from so-called roaming
calls, which are made by subscribers outside their home region.
The country's Federal Antimonopoly Service last month began an
investigation into whether MTS and its peers had acted illegally in
setting prices for these calls.
The watchdog's definition of roaming is narrower than that of
MTS; it doesn't include most of the calls made by MTS subscribers
in different Russian regions, but if MTS is found guilty it could
be ordered to pay up to 15% of the revenue earned from such
calls.
"We need to start the discussion with the way that roaming
prices are set," said Shamolin, adding that MTS's strategy is to
set higher call prices for some subscribers, while giving others
the chance to move onto discounted tariffs plans.
"There are discounts available for roaming...please sign up," he
told journalists in Moscow, adding that a large section of MTS's
subscribers don't take up such offers.
The watchdog is also investigating roaming prices at VimpelCom
Ltd. (VIP) and OAO Megafon. Shamolin said that it would be
impossible for the country's three big operators to have reached an
agreement on high roaming prices because "80% to 85%" of the cost
of these calls was paid to other networks.
A spokeswoman for the anti-monopoly committee said that the
regulator has three months for the investigation, but could extend
it for a further three months if necessary.
"The people who don't care how much they pay for roaming should
pay a full price that suits (MTS)," he said, adding that the others
can look around to find MTS's special offers.
"If the (subscriber) isn't interested, he'll pay the tariff
that's there."
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this week told operators they
should review their roaming charges.
"We believe the Prime Minister's interest in roaming charges
increases the likelihood that they would be lowered," said
Moscow-based UniCredit, estimating that a 50% decrease in roaming
prices could reduce mobile revenue at MTS and VimpelCom by around
4%.
Company Web site: www.mstgsm.com
-By Will Bland, Dow Jones Newswires; +7 495 232 9198;
william.bland@dowjones.com
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