Eh, about bloody time.
Now there are lawsuits going both ways...I hope Armenia doesn't get screwed (again) in all of this.
A country who should bank on IT and the world of communications can absolutely not afford such a bad service.
**************************************************
Interfax
March 2 2004
Armentel to lose mobile monopoly May 31
Yerevan. (Interfax) - The government of Armenia has approved a
resolution to strip national operator Armentel of its monopoly on
mobile telephony and external Internet access services, Justice
Ministry spokesman Ara Sagatelian told Interfax.
The resolution takes effect on May 31, he said. It restricts the
company's monopoly by amending the relevant license, which was issued in 1997 and granted monopoly rights for 15 years.
The resolution will go into effect if, before May 31, an arbitration
court in London does not issue a ruling that goes against this
resolution, Sagatelian added.
He said the resolution was passed because the company violated its contractual obligations. The government thinks the company provides poor quality mobile services, and has not met obligations on investment in the country's telephone network.
The Armenian government and Greece's OTE, which owns 90% of Armentel, are currently in the middle of a court battle, accusing one another of violating agreements. The government owns 10% of Armentel.
OTE bought 90% of Armentel at the end of 1997 for $142.47 million. The sales contract granted Armentel a 15-year monopoly on the telecoms market. OTE promised to invest $200 million in Armenian telecommunications in the first five years of operations.
Now there are lawsuits going both ways...I hope Armenia doesn't get screwed (again) in all of this.
A country who should bank on IT and the world of communications can absolutely not afford such a bad service.
**************************************************
Interfax
March 2 2004
Armentel to lose mobile monopoly May 31
Yerevan. (Interfax) - The government of Armenia has approved a
resolution to strip national operator Armentel of its monopoly on
mobile telephony and external Internet access services, Justice
Ministry spokesman Ara Sagatelian told Interfax.
The resolution takes effect on May 31, he said. It restricts the
company's monopoly by amending the relevant license, which was issued in 1997 and granted monopoly rights for 15 years.
The resolution will go into effect if, before May 31, an arbitration
court in London does not issue a ruling that goes against this
resolution, Sagatelian added.
He said the resolution was passed because the company violated its contractual obligations. The government thinks the company provides poor quality mobile services, and has not met obligations on investment in the country's telephone network.
The Armenian government and Greece's OTE, which owns 90% of Armentel, are currently in the middle of a court battle, accusing one another of violating agreements. The government owns 10% of Armentel.
OTE bought 90% of Armentel at the end of 1997 for $142.47 million. The sales contract granted Armentel a 15-year monopoly on the telecoms market. OTE promised to invest $200 million in Armenian telecommunications in the first five years of operations.
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