FAS opens case against MTS, MegaFon over intra-network roaming
MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has opened a case against telecoms operators MTS and MegaFon for failure to comply with a notice to cancel intra-network roaming, the regulator said in a statement: the case has been filed due as the operators' reports on abolishing intra-network roaming do not comply with the requirements set out in the regulator's notice.
"In particular, the cost of making and receiving long-distance calls within Russia proposed by "big three" operators is unreasonably high, the introduction of a daily fee when a subscriber is outside of their "home" region is also unreasonable," FAS said in the statement.
MTS' press service has declined to comment on the matter. "The price we proposed for long-distance calls is in line with average price for long-distance connection from the home region and is the market average for long-distance telecoms operators. We are ready to provide additional information to FAS regarding the pricing rationale for long-distance calls," MegaFon's press service told Interfax.
Deputy FAS chief Anatoly Golomolzin was cited as saying in the statement that, "MTS has not improved terms for customers of long-distance telecoms services but has made them worse." The operator is continuing to charge 15 rubles per day to extend the package beyond the home region when traveling within Russia and are introducing unreasonably high charges for incoming calls "from home" on tariff plans that had previously not been subject to these charges, FAS said in materials.
"As the notice has not been complied with, FAS has decided to open a case against MTS and MegaFon for the violation of antimonopoly legislation. Following the investigation, should violations be established, an order for the transfer of incomes received from violations of antimonopoly law to the budget may be issued," Golomolzin said.
VimpelCom said that FAS will make a decision in the coming days in a report.