The Tax Committee under the Government of Tajikistan claims that the current mobile Internet rates offered by mobile operators are higher than those offered by the Antimonopoly Agency. But the Tax Committee gives the mobile Internet prices out of packages offered by mobile operators.
Commenting on a statement by managers of public organizations on telecommunications prices, the Tax Committee said that the current mobile Internet rates offered by mobile operators are higher than the new rates offered by the Antimonopoly Agency.
“According to data from the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan, the current average price for one megabyte in Tajikistan last year was 0.024 somoni,” says the Tax Committee. “Current prices for one megabyte in the country are 0.039 somoni in Babilon-Mobile (Babilon-M), 0.016 somoni in Megafon Tajikistan, 0.025 somoni in Tcell and 0.014 somoni in Tacom (Beeline).”
The tax authorities further note that Tcell has introduced the G+ Internet service package, under which in the event of exceeding the volume, the price for one megabyte will be 0.10 somoni in daytime and 0.05 somoni in nighttime (the package itself provides for the price of one megabyte at 0.024 somoni).
In the event of exceeding the volume, Megafon Tajikistan sets the price of one megabyte at 0.5 somoni, according to Tax authorities.
“In other words, customers of mobile operators now pay for mobile internet at the rate ranging from 0.014 to 0.5 somoni,” the Tax Committee says.
“Moreover, in accordance with the report of Megafon Tajikistan that the Tax Committee received on March 30, an average price for one megabyte set by the company last year was 0.072 somoni,” says the Tax Committee. “It means that the average price set by Megafon Tajikistan is 0.022 somoni higher than the rate set by Antimonopoly Agency order.”
Recall, the Antimonopoly Agency announced on March 4 that as of March 27, mobile telecommunication services providers will be able to sell online data for no less than 0.05 somoni per megabyte (twofold increase) and the price for one minute of mobile international call, including NGN communications, will amount to no less than 1.20 somoni (tenfold increase).
The March 4 order was justified by a curious interpretation of the law of supply and demand. Rajabali Mahsiddinov, an official with the Antimonopoly Agency, noted that mobile operators would now be in a position to provide better online speeds. According to him, they commit to increase the Interne speed from 512 megabyte per second to 1,024 megabyte per second. “Besides, mobile operators should provide 4G and LTE communications in the whole territory of the country,” Mahsiddinov said
Mobile operators, however, are not in hurry to implement the Antimonopoly Agency’s instruction on raising mobile Internet prices.
