“PSRC to change registration and register of mobile connection companies’ subscribers”

 Interview of the member of Public Services Regulatory Committee (PSRC) of Armenia Samvel Arabajyan to Mediamax Agency:
 
- A year ago the Committee made a decision to coordinate the traffic exchange among Armenian internet providers. Simultaneously with that Armenian Internet Traffic Exchange Fund (ARMIX) was founded. What are the achievements in this direction? Is the decision of PSRC observed by providers?
 
- After approval of the decision, the Committee did not receive any complaints from subscribers, and we did not reveal any problems. The process proceeds quite congruently and dynamically. Providers have fulfilled the requirements of the Committee on providing free of charge peering connection with minimum transmission capacity of 10Mb a second. Moreover, two companies – Ucom and Crossnet, started providing alternative voice (landline) connection services, and two other companies are also going to enter the market in the nearest future.  
 
What concerns the work of ARMIX, there was a self-regulation format elaborated there and so far there is no need of state interference there. The activity of the Fund is monitored by PSRC, and in case of necessity, the Committee can interfere, however as of today, providers have fulfilled the minimum requirements.
 
- Does PSRC discuss with mobile connection operators the possibility of reducing tariffs for roaming?
 
- If you remember, two years ago the Committee made a decision, according to which the maximum rated margin of the company’s profit with a particular tariff limit could not exceed 15% per year. However, there is a tendency observed in the world on applying zonal tariffs for roaming. And today there is a problem: large international companies, which provide roaming services, or mediator companies, increase roaming traffic as to packages, and our companies face a problem, since their roaming traffic is small. While, in the world the symmetric tariff policy is applied, that is, Armenian operators offer tariffs analogous to those, which they are offered by foreign partners. This is a very urgent, but difficult problem in terms of solution. Of course, the issue is being discussed, but we cannot say that a particular solution will be approved tomorrow. We cannot reduce the tariff for roaming one-sidedly. 
 
- In 2010, “ArmenTel” Company turned to PSRC with the request to allow provision of convergent connection services. At which stage is the discussion of the issue?
 
- We should differentiate the notions of convergent and interchangeable services. The problem is that on the basis of one agreement it is impossible to sell various services in one package. The Committee exists in order to observe the law and not to allow improper subsidizing of one service at the expense of another, to preserve a competitive field, which has formed in Armenia today. PSRC studies the suggestion of “ArmenTel” both in technical terms and basing on the interests of the subscribers, but it is yet early to speak of the terms of convergent service provision.
 
- What new initiatives does PSRC prepare in the sphere of telecommunications?
 
- The Committee has initiated a number of interesting steps. First of all, we plan to change the order of registration and register of mobile connection companies’ subscribers. As a result of these changes, the resource will be used more rationally. For instance, tourists, who arrive in Armenia, purchase SIM cards for a couple of days and then throw them away when they leave, however the card continues remaining in the database of the number set as used in the course of a year, and this number, which is a limited resource, cannot be used by companies in the given period. On the one hand, operators face big problems in the billing system, since they should constantly carry out register of all cards, on the other hand the resource is reduced. As a result we get a distorted picture of the real subscriber base and active subscribers. Due to the new order, we will be able to elaborate a mechanism of register for real active subscribers and for inactive subscribers. At that we also want to develop a single method of the register system for an analogous method of calculation to be used in the reports of the operators and this will allow comparing the figures of the operator. Economy of the resource is one of the most important and complex problems.
 
Secondly, the Committee plans to approve a new order, according to which three mobile connection operators will publish their reporting on the local websites. This information was previously placed at the websites of “parent” companies, where they reflected the data, which were expedient according to them. We believe that this is not a fair method, and the citizens of Armenia have the right to have information about their operators.
     
- What is the reaction of the operators to PSRC’s this initiative?
 
- I should give credit to our operators and say that they gladly expressed readiness and they actively cooperate with the Committee. I should thank the heads of all three companies for operatively reacting and for goodwill. The representatives of companies now work with PSRC over the single order for publication of reports at their websites, and in the nearest future it will be presented to the consideration of the company. There is great likelihood that the reports for the first quarter will already be posted at the websites of the company. This will allow dynamically following the events in the sphere of mobile connection in Armenia.