Premier positively estimates the process of telecommunication market liberalization
04.03.05 11:08
/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Astana, March 3, 05/ - Kazakhstan prime-
minister Daniyal Akhmetov has positively estimated the process of country's
telecommunication market liberalization.
On Thursday Akhmetov held conference on this matter, during which reports
of State Informatization and communication agency (ICA) and
Kazakhtelecom JSC were heard, press-service of government's head
informed.
"Summarizing results of the conference Daniyal Akhmetov positively
estimated the work held by ICA concerned with decreasing of tariffs for
international telephone connections by 20% and introduction of by the
second billing of intercity communication with 10-second tariffing that let
decrease expenses of subscribers for this type of services additionally in the
average by 15%", - press-service says.
It was noted during the conference that in order to develop competition on
telecommunication market before ICA had introduced changes in
Kazakhtelecom's license, which cancelled its exclusive right for rendering
intercity and international communication services.
The release says by this moment licenses for rendering these services had
been given to KazTransCom JSC, Transtelecom JSC and Arna JSC.
Besides, the release says, license commission of the state agency examines
applications of Nursat JSC, Astel JSC and TNS plus LLP.
Akhmetov, the release says, considers it necessary "to provide social
guarantees for poor people so that rebalancing of tariffs doesn't influence
upon their abilities to use telephone communication".
According to state agency's data, the release says, for these purposes in the
past year ICA made "current special-purpose transfers to regional budgets in
the amount of 12 m. 561 th. tenge" (current 130.41/$1).
Besides, the release says, in this year 205 m. 922 th. tenge are planned in
the republican budget for paying compensations to housing benefits
recipients, which are subscribers of city telecommunication networks.
At present a shareholding consisting of 50% and one share of the company
belongs to Kazakhstan government.
Other big shareholders of Kazakhtelecom are Central Asian Investment
Holdings N.V., which owns 30.05% of company's shares, and Bank of New
York - 6.73%. Other shareholders - over 13%.
[2005-03-04]