FAS VERIFIED PRICES FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES DURING SHIFTS TO TELECOMMUTING

The Antimonopoly Service carried out an inspection, following instructions from the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation

FAS analyzed the behaviour of prices of mobile communications providers for the services that are offered due to shifting the population to remote forms of work (education) in order to curtail the new coronavirus infection.

Having analyzed data and information from the largest communications operators that provide access to the internet, FAS has established that in the second decade of March the load on communications networks increased on average by up to 20%. This is mostly due to increased viewing of video-services.

As of 24 March 2020, no growth of prices is registered.

It is forecasted the in the coming week the load is going to increase on average by 20-40% compared to the previous period, the growth of prices for the forecasted increased load is not expected.

For the forecasting purposes, FAS has analyzed the need to increase the capacity of the existing networks in view of the expected growth of consumption, and the support measures required from the state in order to level the consequences from an increased traffic for different categories of consumers.

In case of the circumstances that require an increased capacity of the communications networks, FAS finds it necessary to develop measures aimed at decreasing the load upon networks in order to prevent a growth of prices, particularly, in view of the increased consumption of video-content.

The situation, related to changing prices by communications operators for the services, providing which is directly related to shifting the population to remote forms of work (education) in order to prevent dissemination of the new coronavirus infection, is under FAS control.