Major Georgian communication companies announce price, service changes
The companies say that they will offer better services and increased internet volume to subscribers. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgia’s leading internet service provider company Silknet and mobile telecommunications operators Magti and Geocell have announced price and service changes.
The companies say that they will offer better services and increased internet volume to subscribers – subsequently, the cost of their services will increase.
Magti’s new prices will take effect from 18 February, while Geocell’s and Silknet’s will start from 1 March.
Here’s what changes are planned for the subscribers of each company.
Geocell
Gocell subscribers will pay a monthly fee for mobile number service, which will amount to 20 tetri.
In addition, the price of the 5 GEL (about $1.89/€1.66) package “Meti S” will be increased to 7 GEL (about $2.64/€2.32), however the package will include 300 MB instead of 100 MB and 300 SMS instead of 100 SMS.
Also, the package “Meti M”, which today costs 10 GEL (about $3.77/€3.32), will be increased to 15 GEL (about $5.66/€4.98) with 1 GB internet and unlimited SMS.
Silknet
The minimal 26 GEL package of Silknet optical internet will be abolished. Subscribers will have to pay at least 30 GEL (about $11.32/€9.96) for internet for the package “Start +”, 20 MB / sec.
Magti
The price for the package “Martivi” will be 30 GEL instead of 25 GEL (about $9.43/€8.30) which is the current price. In this package the volume of mobile internet will grow to 1.5 GB.
At the same time the standard cost for mobile internet will be decreased to 10 tetri for 1MB instead of 70 tetri, the current price.
The Georgian National Communications Commission released a statement following the announcement of communication companies and said that “there is no reason to increase the tariff for subscribers”.
The Georgian National Communications Commission started to study the issue immediately following the announcements of Magti and Silknet. The commission will examine how appropriate it is for two significant power operators to simultaneously make price changes”, read the statement of the commission.
The chairman of the commission Kakha Bekauri also shared his personal comment and said that the commission has broken the duopoly – a situation in which two suppliers dominate the market for a commodity or service.
We have provided processes to create a competitive [environment], to avoid price and cartel agreements. We think that we have left this behind. If such signs appears the reaction will be the most severe”, said Bekauri.
The National Communications Commission calls on both operators to suspend the tariff changes until the issue is investigated further.
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