Tariff Council approved new tariffs of international phone calls, utilization of irrigation water, standardization, metrology and other services

As APA informs, at present monthly subscription and local phone calls are introduced at prices several times less than net costs in the telecommunication market, but international phone calls are offered at prices exceeding prime values. This situation leads to balanced regulation of losses of communication operators, and restricts the population to use international phone calls. In order to eliminate these shortcomings, 2 tariff packages were prepared on monthly subscription fees and international phone calls.

So, formerly in the territories of Baku, Sumgait cities and Absheron region electron automatic exchanges (AE) were paid 66 kopecks (AZM 3300) of monthly subscription fees, and analog AEs 60 kopecks (AZM 3000) for usage of phone services by the population, and for 1 minute of international call in the direction of CIS countries 45 kopecks (AZM 2250) was paid, 90 kopecks (AZM 4500) in the direction of Iran and Turkey, AZN 1.08 (AZM 5040) in the direction of European countries, and AZN 1.44 (AZM 7020) in the direction of America and other countries. In the first tariff package monthly subscription fee in cities for electron AEs was determined AZN 1.5 (AZM 7500), and for analog AEs AZN 1.3 (AZM 6500). The tariff of 1 minute international call to CIS countries was reduced by 20% to 30 kopecks, to Iran and Turkey 45 kopecks (50% less than the current tariffs), to European countries 54 kopecks (50% less), and to America and other countries 54 kopecks (62.5% less).

The second tariff package provides that city population will pay 66 kopecks for electron AEs and 60 kopecks for analog AEs as monthly subscription payments; the existing tariffs for international calls to CIS countries will be preserved (45 kopecks), calls to Iran and Turkey will be reduced by 50% to 54 kopecks, to European countries by 33.3% to 72 kopecks, and to America by 37.5% to 90 kopecks.

Rural population will pay 50 kopecks for electron AEs and 40 kopecks for analog AEs as monthly subscription payments, and international call tariffs to CIS countries were not changed (30 kopecks for 1 minute), tariffs of calls to Iran and Turkey were reduced by 37.5% to 45 kopecks, to European countries by 40% to 54 kopecks, and to America and other countries by 50% to 54 kopecks.

Subscribers of other categories and budget organizations will pay for using phone services in accordance with the existing tariffs. Such organizations will pay for international calls as provided in the first package, what means some 46% reduction in the existing tariffs.

Besides, price of every long-distance and international call made through the 107 service was reduced by 33.3% in Baku, Sumgait, Ganja, Mingechevir, Ali Bayramli, Naftalan cities, and Nakhchivan AR to 20 kopecks, and decreased by 44.4% to 5 kopecks in rural territories.

Tariff Council also reviewed proposals of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies on the tariffs of allocation and utilization of resources in the general-use telecommunication network and relevant decisions were taken. The adopted communication tariffs will be applied to all fixed and cellular phone operators operating in the general-use telecommunication network on the basis of licenses granted by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies.

The Council also discussed proposals on the tariffs of services provided by the Melioration and Water Economy Open Joint-Stock Company. So, at the meeting it was offered to calculate the price of irrigation water for volume utilized water (previously the price was calculated for hectare), and to establish the price of 1000 cubic metres of irrigation water at AZN 0.6. Submitted data was analyzed by the Secretariat and the proposal on transition from hectare to cubic meter as a unit of measure was adopted. So, those engaged in agricultural production will pay AZN 0.5 for 1000 cubic metres of irrigation water. It was also considered expedient to preserve the currently effective tariff (AZN 0.4 for each 1000 cubic metres of water) of water given to 1 hectare of winter pasture.

The tariffs of over 1000 services provided by the State Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Patent were also reviewed at the meeting and a relevant decision was adopted. So, the tariffs of examination of housing equipment which are mostly consumed (electrical energy, gas and water meters) were fixed in the amount of AZN 0.7. In general, the Agency provides over 1000 services at present. According to the decision of the Council, those services were rounded up, and only the tariffs of 50 services were partially changed.

The Council also discussed proposals on the tariffs of new services provided by the State Register Service of Immovable Property under the Cabinet of Ministers and those proposals were considered expedient to be adopted.

The tariffs of services provided by the Bureau for Technical Stock-Taking of Property under the State Committee for State Property Management were also reviewed and changes and additions were made to the existing tariffs and indices in accordance with the interests of consumers. Those changes will lead to reduction of the tariffs by 10-15% on some services.

The new tariffs adopted by the Tariff Council will be effective from May 1, 2006.