ANATOLY GOLOMOLZIN: NONE OF THE POPULATION CATEGORIES SHOULD EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TRANSITION TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING

Representatives of FAS and specialized bodies discussed the transition to digital broadcasting in St Petersburg and the Leningrad region

Deputy Head of FAS Anatoly Golomolzin emphasized the importance of smooth and painless transition to digital broadcasting. He informed that monitoring prices for set-top boxes, the Antimonopoly Service exposed signs of unreasonable overrating of the prices by digital equipment retailers.

Anatoly Golomolzin gave the following data: “Cases were opened that are now under investigation. Thanks to our efforts, prices for set-top boxes decreased considerably. Since January 2019, the prices and the sales structure have improved significantly in comparison with December 2018. Prices for some models of set-top boxes in federal chains dropped down strongly (from 5% to 50%, on average by 25%) or remained unchanged in comparison with December 2018. The assortment of set-top boxes is constantly renewed and extended. The structure of the price segment is changing. The cheap class is restored and now set-top boxes can be bought in any price range”.

“In February 2019 the sales share in St Petersburg in the price segment up to 1000 RUB was 27% at the average price 881 RUB, which is 12% higher than in December 2018at the average price 968 RUB. The sales share at the price segment from 1001 to 1500 RUB remains practically unchanged – 48% in comparison with 50% in December 2018 but the average sales price in this price range decreased from 1356 to 1303 RUB”, continued the speaker.

In the Leningrad region, the sales share in the cheap price segment up to 1000 RUB also increased from 10% in December 2018 at the average price 975 RUB to 15% in February 2019 at the average price 926 RUB.

“FAS is maintaining an electronic database registering prices for set-top boxes in all regions of Russia. OFAS have full access to the database. It is done so that we can compare prices for set-top boxes on comparable markets and promptly apply antimonopoly remedies”, added Deputy Head of FAS.

Anatoly Golomolzin drew attention to the importance of interaction between federal and regional authorities.

He emphasized: “To prevent emergencies, OFAS Heads must be in direct contact with the regional and city authorities”.

“None of the categories of the population should experience difficulties with the transition to digital broadcasting”, summed up Deputy Head of FAS.

Head of FAS Department for Regulating Communications and Information Technologies, Elena Zaeva, gave statistics of acquiring set-top boxes. Most of them were bought in St Petersburg and in the Leningrad region in December 2018.

She stressed that violations of the antimonopoly law in the course of the transition to digital TV by the authorities are unacceptable and prompt measures are necessary to prevent such situations.

Representatives of St Petersburg Informatization and Communications Committee and Leningrad Regional Committee for Digital Development pointed out that the situation is as per normal and the regions are at the high level of readiness for the transition to digital broadcasting.

The event participants, including representatives of “St Petersburg Regional Centre of Russian TV and Radio Broadcasting Network and the Office of Roskomnadzor [the Federal Agency for Supervision of Communications, Information technology and Mass Media] in the Northwestern Federal District decided to register the results of the undertaken work and the follow-up discussion in April of the current situation related to the transition to digital broadcasting in both regions.