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VimpelCom Opposes Radio Frequency Tenders in Far East
Russia’s second cellular giant, VimpelCom has addressed Federal Antimonopoly Service and Federal Service for Supervision of Legislation in Mass Communications and Protection of Cultural Heritage (Rossvyazokhrankultura) in an effort to oppose the decision of Radio Frequency Commission to hold GSM-900/1800 tenders in 60 regions of Russia. According to VimpelCom, the terms of tenders violate the Competition Act, as they grant preference to operators working in the region. The chances of VimpelCom to lobby tenders’ cancellation are rather high, the analysts speculate.
VimpelCom has lodged a complaint to Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) targeted at tenders for granting GSM-900/1800 licenses in 60 regions of Russia. “The terms of tenders are worded so that the advantage is given to mobile operators and local operators already represented in the tender territories,” VimpelCom clarified the reasons of complaint yesterday.
“It is possible to suppose that any company without enough money but with an obsolete network in the tender region, for instance, may get the license with the chance for subsequent sale,” VimpelCom PR manager Ekaterina Osadchaya explained. In addition to FAS, VimpelCom addressed Rossvyazokhrankultura chief Boris Boyarskov with similar demands.
In VimpelCom, they don’t conceal true reasons of their claims. The cellular giant fears to be again refused the frequency and license in the Far East. These fears appear quite justified actually, as Radio Frequency Commission and Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz) have been turning down VimpelCom for more than three years and a half already. Nowadays, VimpelCom covers just four of 14 regions of the Far East.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of June 22, 2007
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