Bypassing "Rostelecom"

Bypassing "Rostelecom"
The authorities of Moscow area create the infrastructure company to give to operators the chance to lay communication networks bypassing the sewerage of "Rostelecom"


The authorities of Moscow area create the infrastructure company to give to operators the chance to lay communication networks bypassing the sewerage of "Rostelecom".

The ministry of public administration, information technologies and communication (MGUITS) of the Moscow region by June, 2014 will prepare the business plan of the infrastructure company, the enterprise has to earn by the end of the year, the head of the ministry Maksut Shadayev told "Sheets".

Operators in Moscow area often complain of impossibility to get access to communications, and subscribers – on lack of possibility of a choice of operators, poor quality of communication services and difficulty of receiving services, Shadayev explains. The market of Moscow area is very fragmented, the set of the small companies which often work as monopolists works at it and do not give another access to these or those objects, and large operators are dissatisfied with it, Shadayev speaks. Operators and cannot get access to the cable sewerage which in Moscow area belongs often or is rented by the largest the Russian fixed operator – "Rostelecom", it continues.

The new company, most likely, will be registered as joint stock company with participation of the government of Moscow area. In the beginning it will be a question not of underground communications. The company will be centrally, by a single tariff to lease to operators of a place for laying of cables on lighting masts (a half of lampposts in Moscow area belongs to the municipal enterprises), platforms for placement of base stations, and also to give access to distributive networks in buildings, Shadayev tells.

MTS welcomes idea of creation of the infrastructure operator – single tariffs and the centralized access to communications can lead to communication improvement of quality, will revitalize the competitive environment in the region, the representative of the company Dmitry Solodovnikov speaks. But thus operators still have to have opportunity independently to develop networks – important that there was no monopoly for "entrance" to the house, he considers. The representative of "Vympelcom" Anna Aybasheva believes that it is necessary to bring together operators in the working group and to explain rules of implementation of such project. With such initiative did not address to "MegaFon", but the idea causes interest, the representative of his capital branch Pavel Larin notes.

The government of the Moscow region any more wants to solve the first year this problem but while unsuccessfully, the employee of the company of "the big three" speaks. Large operators are clamped in Moscow area between "Rostelecom" and small local operators who do not give them access to houses where they provide services exclusively, the employee of other company agrees.

According to the representative of "Rostelecom" Valery Kostarev, creation of the infrastructure operator MGUITS discussed with all operators, it first of all concerns housing under construction. "Rostelecom" faces restrictions of the competition in new housing estates where small operators work at "exclusive" conditions, and to other operators expose noncompetitive, inflated prices, Kostarev complains. According to him, "Rostelecom" works on this matter with the government of area. As for access to the cable sewerage, "Rostelecom" provides it if technically possible and on the approved tariffs, Kostarev claims.

The situated near Moscow fixed operators, in fact, are cut off from the sewerage monopolized by "Rostelecom", – all attempts to agree with it about its use, and also complaints in regulators did not yield result, the general director of "Iskratelekom" Alkhas Mirzabekov does not agree with Kostarev. Till 2013 communications in new buildings in the Moscow region were based only on specifications of "Rostelecom", Mirzabeko continues
century. As a result other providers are compelled to connect new residential districts, using lighting masts, or powerful radio antennas. Rent of a place for a cable on columns stands up 15 000-20 000 rub a year for 1 km, the antenna with installation – 150 000 rub, speaks Mirzabekov. Such hybrid networks are less reliable, than laid in the sewerage, and their operation costs for 30% dearer, he complains.

Houses in a free access

In the future the new enterprise will begin to establish specifications of construction of infrastructure of access for operators to houses of Moscow area under construction, Shadayev does not exclude. On them apartment houses will need to be connected surely at least to two independent operators. Besides, builders will have to hand over intra house communications of the regional infrastructure company.

The segmented market

Shares of operators on number of subscribers in the market of wire ShPD of the Moscow region for the end of the I quarter 2014.



Source: TelecomDaily



Valery Kodachigov
Sheets
 No. 87 of 19.05.14