DUSHANBE, October 1, Asia-Plus — The CPP (Calling Party Pays) model will be introduced in Tajikistan beginning on December 1, 2007, representatives from coupling operators and the communications regulatory agencies remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on September 29.
Calling Party Pays (CPP) is the arrangement in which the mobile subscriber does not pay for incoming calls. Instead, the calling party pays for those calls.
Earlier, they planned to introduce the CPP model beginning on January 1, 2008, but an interagency commission, which was set up two months ago, has decided to introduce the model already in December this year.
According to Ghafur Irkayev, the head of the Association of Cellular Operators of Tajikistan (ACOT), the CCP model provides for increase in prices of fixed-line telecommunications and they decided to introduce it earlier in order that it would not be sudden and could effect budget forming.
According to protocol of the interagency commission, operators will pay each other for the internetworking connection at the rate of 11.5 dirams per minute (including VAT).
Speaking to journalists, Jaffar Rustamov, an official with open joint-stock company (OJSC) Tojik Telecom (Tajikistan’s fixed-line telecommunications network), said that present prices of one minute of conversation between cellular operators and Tojik Telecom fluctuate from 16 to 17 dirams.
“We will submit our rates for consideration to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT),” said Rustamov, “But I would like to note that the price within the network will remain the same – 2 dirams per minute. This rate is too low, but taking into consideration interests of subscribers, we will not yet raise prices within the network.”
