The “Big Four” providers got FAS warnings

On 14 July 2017 the Federal Antimonopoly Service issued warnings to “VympelCom” PJSC, “MTS” PJSC, “Megafon” PJSC and “T2 Mobile” Ltd.

FAS revealed signs of violating Clause 6 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”: fixing and maintaining different tariffs for cellular communications services in the home region and travelling across.

The “Big Four” providers offer several tariff plans to subscribers.

Moving to another region, subscribers get completely different price conditions within the network of their operator rather than in the home region; and the more expensive is the subscriber plan, the smaller is the tariff difference or cellular communications services at home and when travelling.

FAS analysis showed that communications services prices (calls within a region, outside the region, sms, data transfer) en route should not differ from the prices in the home region, and such difference is not economically or technologically justified.

FAS requested that cellular communications operators should get rid of the unreasonable differences in every tariff plan for the same communications services that subscribers receive at home and en route.

The providers should amend the tariff plan conditions within 14 days after the date of receiving the warnings and notify subscribers about such changes under the procedure established by the current law - 10 days before introducing new tariffs.