Nicron #96 09 июля 1998

Information - the latest news about the fight with hourly pay phone.

   Summer without "povremenki"


(R) Wlodek Black


  The latest news from the "invisible front" struggle with 
time-based pay phone, IMHO, the best on this side of the page 
"Povremenka" G. Belonuchkin (c) date back to yesterday's 
numbers - July 9. So at least until the autumn, not to return to

this painful topic, throw out to readers, perhaps,
unnecessarily tedious and a long stream of information ... As 
they say, and for old and small ... :-)




 What's the matter


  Russia has been gradually introduced the system of hourly pay 
for local calls - instead of the current prevailing system

fixed monthly payment. Such a measure in
first hit of Internet subscribers, as well as
avatar. According to the deputy chairman of the State Committee 
H. Marder, povremenka the beginning of 1998 has already been 
applied to individual territories in more than 30 regions of 
Russia, and the population is welcomed. According to most 
people it takes povremenku not so unanimous. Virtually all 
telephone company in Russia - private, but the prices of their 
services are regulated state, because Telecommunications falls 
under the Act natural monopolies. Therefore, the introduction 
of time-based projects payments come from the local telephone 
monopolies, and solutions adopted by regional authorities.


The city of Moscow


   The Moscow City Government at the suggestion of the Moscow 
City Telephone Network (JSC MGTS) is considering the 
introduction of Moscow time payment for local calls. Now

The situation in Moscow is as follows: made in January 1998 
proposal MGTS enter povremenku from 1 July 1998, and trial 
accounts to send, respectively, from 1 April, the mayor's 
office denied. In February, 1998 Decree B. Nicholas, a working 
group which charged to 1 May 1998 to examine the validity of 
the proposals and MGTS Mayor's Office to submit an opinion. In 
late February, Luzhkov said that a preliminary study of the 
state of affairs in MGTS suggests that the tariff increase is 
not necessary. If it turns out that MGTS incurs losses, Moscow 
will cover them from its budget, but povremenku introduce in 
the near future be. Unfortunately, verbatim quotations were 
found. March 11 Interfax gave the words of CEO MGTS Vladimir 
Lagutin, that This year, MGTS will most likely not enter 
povremenku because Commission of the Moscow government will 
decide in May. The delay in the introduction povremenki "would 
only affect the reduction level of profitability to 32% 
compared with 41.6% in 1997 " (Newspaper Segodnya, 12 March 
1998). Correspondent as "Russian Telegraph "report with the 
same press conference that this decline in profits has nothing 
to do povremenke and stems due to increased volumes of capital 
investments. In early July, there were message that the 
commission work completed and in povremenka 1998-1999. entered 
will not be. Yet unknown details: is there a speech on the 
recommendations of the commission or an official the mayor's 
decision. In any case, time-based fee will not take earlier 
than three months after the first mailing of "test Accounts 
that do not require payment. This is a requirement of the Rules 
provide telephone services, approved by the Government of 
Russia 26 September 1997


ERSPEKTIVY


  If one set of documents, which managed to find full - then
it turns out that no law, acts of the President or
Government does not require that the transition to 
self-sufficiency occurs precisely by maintaining povremenki. 
Povremenka - initiative management of telephone companies, 
supported by leadership profile agencies - FSEMS. Alternative

introduction povremenki - increase subscription fees for all to
cost levels. Specifically for Moscow, according to MGTS - with
20 to 40 rubles. For MGTS these options for the money are the 
same, but MGTS prefers povremenku - with the future ("it's on

today and tomorrow. That's when the effective demand grows
population, when they will be affordable for the Internet, 
that's when ... and povremenka already have, you know? "- from 
the transcript). City Hall prefers the active population does 
not irritate at least before the 2000 elections - and all the 
initiatives MGTS notch at the root. But can it still has 2 
years nothing has changed? If you raise prices have - a lot 
depends on whose protests will be loud: povremenki opponents or 
opponents of increasing subscriber board. Theoretically, MGTS, 
having been refused the mayor's office may appeal to FSEMS, 
while the latter actively welcomes povremenku. But City Hall 
has its own ways of influencing MGTS (k example, to find out 
why collectors are paying tenants money for rent MGTSu, not the 
city) and is likely to MGTS City Hall will not complain. Moscow 
City Duma, and similar regional legislatures are likely to be 
only moral influence on the process, because law applies

tariff regulation to the federal jurisdiction. The situation 
will be change, and the worst: when will my FSEMS

regional branches, the tariff setting function will go to
them and the local authorities no longer depend on anything.

 Do unto others


  In many regions of Russia (including some parts of Moscow
area) povremenka already introduced.

  Comparisons: 16 April 1998 "Komersant" said the report
State Committee on the introduction povremenki give such
paradox. Povremenka operates in 21 regions (including
those where it is applied only in part). Almost everywhere
povremenka is disadvantageous to operators due to the reduction
phone calls. In the Kemerovo region traffic has decreased by
30%. Pskov GTS reported a loss for the year 1997.
Invented by Committees of Ministry of Communications and GKAP 
in 1995 15-20-minute limit is not exceeded by almost anyone, 
because overvalued and a half times. Perm 81% of customers had 
a choice between povremenkoy and subscription fee, prefer 
povremenku. Now FSEMS developing new parameters for the 
introduction of povremenki who "do not operators would be 
ruined. " 

    Moscow Region JSC "Telecommunication" plan
privatized in 1998. Deputy Minister of State Property
A. Braverman shall express confidence that this
time (in contrast to previous) government does not make a bad 
bargain. K April 1998 povremenka already been introduced in 
Dubna, Mozhaisk, Troitsk, Klimovsk and Kaliningrad (now - 
Korolev). 

  In Khabarovsk, offensive povremenki was dropped strong
counter-regional members and individuals who do not
too lazy to sue. The history of events in the excerpts from the 
letters tamoshnego lawyer Dennis Poplavskiy:


  27 February [1998] of the Legislative Duma of Khabarovsk Krai
adopted a decision on the recommendations of parliamentary 
hearings on the the imposition of the province time payment for 
telephone negotiations. Introduced on 30 December last year, 
the system provides for standard use of telephone calls in

the amount of subscription fee for organizations up to 480 
minutes and up to 300 minutes - for the population. 
Subscription fee - for the population - 40 rubles for 
organizations - 168 rubles. Excess minute call charged at a 
rate of 20 cents. The deputies saw contradiction in the 
solution of a boundary commission rates in the region 
telecommunications legislation in force. Duma proposed to 
cancel these decisions and to compensate subscribers costs 
incurred in connection with the introduction of time-based fees 
telephone conversations. ... At the next meeting of the 
Legislative Duma of Khabarovsk Territory on March 25 was heard 
as "intermediate" report on the execution of the decision of 
the Duma (...). The representative monopolies of 
telecommunications admitted some violations current 
legislation, which occurred with the introduction system time 
payment of telephone conversations. In particular, found that 
(1) decision to introduce this system should was to be 
decorated piece of legislation the Head of Administration 
Region (...) Rather than the boundary commission rates in the 
field of communication, (2) all consumers should have been 
during the three months prior to the introduction system to 
receive notification of time spent by them in person at 
telephone calls in the previous period, and the notional 
amounts payments that in the "experimental" procedure was 
carried out Only users with two or three stations, (3) 
Resolution Government admits the introduction of a system or 
subscription fees, or hourly charges telephone calls, not

combined, not the combined system, which is actually
operates in the province, where within an agreed limit on pay
a solid rate, and over it - per minute. Deputy
Attorney edge advised the audience that in the near future,
is the head upon arrival boundary commission of the capital,
system, introduced on December 30 last year, will be
revised. That, judging by his words, completely meaningless it
Unique lifting ... [In June, 1998], after an unprecedented
solving one of the district courts of Khabarovsk, recognized the
irrelevant to the current legislation introduced in
Khabarovsk Krai system time payment of telephone
negotiations on the suit a citizen (documentary
evidence and details of the case I have not yet), head
administration of the province issued a decree abolishing its 
boundary committee on state regulation of tariffs for services

communications, as well as all decisions taken by it to transfer
telephone conversations on time payment. (...) Solutions
any bodies on the pricing policy in providing
communications services now acquire legal force only after
approval by the head of the regional administration.

  In Pskov Oblast, St. Petersburg comrades as they say, wait a 
while fare is 60 kopecks per minute at 28 rubles subscription 
fee per month. There is evidence that in Pskov, there are 2 
alternative operator local communications (povremenka - only 
one of them), but not known whether any subscriber in the city 
(and even more so - in the area) can choose who to have to 
connect. 

  In Kemerovo povremenka there since the summer of 1995, free
minimum and 8 kopecks per minute for excess. Povremenka brought 
the company losses, offset by higher fees for the installation 
of new phones. [Rus.telegraf, 8.VII.98]


  In Tatarstan, subscription fees increased from July 1998 to 
25 to 32 rub. and povremenka introduced in Kazan in January 
1999. [Rus.telegraf, 8.VII.98]


  In Samara region povremenka introduced in 1999, to which 60%
telephone stations are technically ready. [Rus.telegraf, 
8.VII.98] 

  In the Nizhny Novgorod region povremenka introduced from 1 
July 1998. 300 minutes - for the monthly fee (which since its 
introduction povremenki reduced by 20%), another 200 minutes at 
a reduced rate 4 kopecks per minute and more than 500 - 8 
kopecks per minute. According to the telephone companies in the 
"top" (500 minutes) 87% limit laid subscribers. Nizhny Novgorod 
Svyazinform largely is controlled by foreign shareholders, 
headed by CS First Boston, blocked the proposal of Svyazinvest

additional shares in it, Svyazinvest, favor.
[Rus.telegraf, Vremya MN, Expert]

AK FIGHT


  What can we do for prevention, inhibition or abolition of
hourly pay phone? Until now, this really applied
three ways: the campaign of protest addressed to those who 
accept decisions on tariffs, monitoring of compliance with 
applicable legislation in the process of introducing povremenki 
and lawsuits in case of violation; change the law.



  rotesty the Internet and FIDO several independent
other groups of waging a campaign of protest. Forms - meetings, 
gathering signatures, letters to the court, requests for help 
to the antitrust bodies, Luzhkov, Nemtsov, audit requirements 
and the creation of MGTS various public commissions in the 
government of Moscow and Russia.


  udi This method is successfully applied in Khabarovsk - see 
above. 

  akonodatelny barerpovremenke can only be installed
over Russia. As it turned out, the Legislative
Assembly of Omsk Region has 19 February 1998 submitted to the
State Duma a bill on which the network operator
may transfer the subscriber's povremenku only with his personal
consent, but still must supply their home counter
Time:

[Start Quote]:

oject

FEDERAL LAW
On Amending the Federal Law "On communication"


  Article 1. Supplement the federal law "On communication" 
(Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation, 1995, * 8, 
st.600) article 21.1 in the following wording:

 "Article 21.1 Features of the establishment of tariffs for 
local telephone connections from the local telephone

paid with monthly or time-based systems
payment. The choice of payment systems osuuschestvlyaetsya 
subscriber. Application of time-based pay system is allowed

Compulsory pre-trial provision of the subscriber metering
time using the telephone network. Rates for basic
local telephone services are established operators
Therefore, in accordance with Russian law and
regulated in the manner prescribed by the authorized
federal executive authorities and
subjects of the Russian Federation. "

  Article 2. This Federal Law shall enter into force on the day
its official publication.

President of the Russian Federation.

[End quote].



Address antipovremennoy page:
http://www.cityline.ru/politika/media/telefon.html