Game on the equal. "Ukrtelecom" can lose money of clients of operators of a mobile communication

Open Society "Ukrtelecom" namereno twice to increase rates of access to the network of mobile operators. Desire of a management of the largest national company of communication by all means to raise profitableness of the enterprise, can lead to a serious shake-up of the telecommunication market. However, suffered from the actions the state operator can become main.

Last week the monopolist of a fixed-line telephony has sent all mobile operators of the letter with the offer to pass to the new prices of access to its fixed network. "Ukrtelecom" plans to raise them twice — about 25 copeck to 50 copeck of/minute, thus having balanced them with rates on which the company pays off with mobilschikami. The reference with the corresponding request in NKRS which establishes for it tariffs should become following step of the company. Mobilschiki yet do not give distinct comments concerning the further actions. In the near future management of the companies should develop strategy in this occasion and be defined with possibilities for the auction or prolongation of operating contracts.

But already it is now clear, that even if NKRS will support "Ukrtelecom" and will reconsider the size of rates on access to its network it hardly will essentially be reflected in incomes of the large mobile companies as the most part of the traffic at them is concentrated in own networks. And here operators of the second echelon can essentially suffer. According to the general director of Joint-Stock Company «Ukrainian radio systems» Alexander Barinov’s ("Biline"), exists real threat of that increase of rates interkonnekta should be levelled increase in tariffs.

The initiative of a monopolist, most likely, is caused by that "Ukrtelecom" top management very much tries to raise its profitableness. Following the results of the first half of the year the enterprise has sustained losses at a rate of 101,9 million grn. Current year the company planned to rise in the price for granting of the basic services. It was supposed, that the city fixed-line telephony can rise in price for 30 %. But it and has not occurred, as work NKRS has been blocked until recently.

Besides especially pragmatical reasons management "Ukrtelecom" can be guided by a strategic problem of return of status of the most influential participant of the market gradually lost by the company. However such tactics can appear harmful to the operator. First of all at the expense of underestimation of possibilities of the basic competitors. If «Kievstar» and MTS will consider, that "Ukrtelecom" wants too much, they can raise for the subscribers cost of calls on its phones. And it will rather painfully be reflected in state company incomes as in structure of incomes of the fixed operators the essential share is occupied with the mobile traffic.

Therefore it is not excluded, that "Ukrtelecom" will go on a compromise variant with the large companies. For example, will suggest to increase rates for them only by 10 copeck, in exchange having given to them preferentsii on access to the infrastructure. From its part mobilschiki not begin to raise tariffs for the subscribers. Positions of small operators are weaker: the traffic from their networks for the telephone giant is not so important.

The "Ukrtelecom" decision can induce to actions and other large fixed operators. If mobilschiki will go on increase in tariffs for subscribers, they can quite bring up a question on revision of rates of access to the networks. However, experience of one of the largest alternative operators of a fixed-line telephony — «Golden a Telecom» which aspired to make even rates at calls from the fixed network on a mobile network of MTS, shows, that it can appear ungrateful employment. The epopee with the conflict and proceedings «Golden a Telecom» from MTS proceeded about one year, and direct access to the networks of the company have renewed only in the beginning of this autumn (when the mobile operator has slightly lowered rates for wire).