Антимонопольное производство в Республике Казахстан  --  Казахстан  

2010.12  On May 14, 2010, the KAA initiated an investigation into the alleged breach of antimonopoly laws of Kazakhstan by all three Kazakhstan GSM operators (KaR-Tel LLP (Beeline), GSM Kazakhstan OAO Kazakhtelecom LLP (TM KCell, Active), and Mobile Telecom Systems LLP (TM Neo)), claiming these operators had abused their dominant position by the way they determine the threshold (minimum) balances on consumers’ accounts required for switching on and off roaming services (the “Threshold Amounts”). In addition, the KAA decided to investigate (jointly with FAS) possible breaches of Kazakhstan antimonopoly law by all three Kazakhstan GSM operators, including KaR-Tel, as well as their partner operators in the Russian Federation, for anticompetitive concerted actions, agreements for price maintenance and the use of per-minute billing. The KAA also proposed to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information of Kazakhstan an earlier date for transfer to per-second billing for roaming services (the date determined by law is January 1, 2012), and to conduct an evaluation of roaming tariffs.

On June 21, 2010, the KAA completed its investigation related to the Threshold Amounts and alleged that all three Kazakhstan GSM operators abused their dominant position by establishing the Threshold Amounts and by switching off a consumer’s roaming services when there is a negative balance on the consumer’s account.

On July 3, 2010, the KAA initiated an administrative procedure with respect to all three Kazakhstan GSM operators, including KaR-Tel, and issued a protocol on administrative offence (the “Protocol”). The KAA filed a claim based on the Protocol with the Administrative Court. The KAA also decided to continue another part of the investigation with respect to concerted actions of Kazakhstan and Russian GSM mobile operators on establishing and/or preservation of tariffs (the “Concerted Actions Investigation”). On July 16, 2010, KaR-Tel filed a claim to recognize as illegal and annul the acts of the KAA that served as a procedural basis for the Protocol. On October 19, 2010, the Interregional Economic Court of Astana ruled in favor of KaR-Tel and recognized as illegal, null and void all acts of the KAA and its territorial branch, which served as the procedural basis for the Protocol. The KAA appealed this decision and on December 13, 2010 the Court of Appeals affirmed the October 19, 2010 decision in favor of KaR-Tel. On January 17, 2011, the Court of Cassation reviewed the cassation petition of the KAA and upheld the October 19, 2010 and December 13, 2010 decisions. The court’s October 19, 2010 decision came into force on January 17, 2011, but is subject to appeal by the KAA for one year from that date.

On October 25, 2010, the KAA completed the Concerted Actions Investigation and reclassified alleged concerted actions of KaR-Tel and other Russian and Kazakhstan GSM operators into establishing of monopolistically high tariffs. On November 3, 2010, the KAA initiated an administrative procedure and issued a new protocol on administrative offence, according to which the KAA has found KaR-Tel and the other two Kazakhstan GSM operators liable for abuse of their dominant position on the market by way of establishing monopolistically high roaming tariffs (“the New Protocol”). As required under Kazakhstan law, the KAA has submitted the New Protocol to a Kazakh administrative court, and the court will decide on the merits and on applicable fines. While the company does not agree with the New Protocol and has challenged it, the ultimate resolution of this matter could result in a loss of up to KZT 9.9 billion (equivalent to approximately US$67.1 million at the exchange rate as of March 31, 2011) in excess of the amount accrued. On November 23, 2010, KaR-Tel filed a claim with the Astana Interregional Economic Court against the Agency requesting that the court recognize as illegal and to annul the acts of the Agency preceding the New Protocol. On February 24, 2011, the Interregional Economic Court of Astana ruled in favor of KaR-Tel and recognized as illegal, null and void the acts of the KAA. The court’s decision entered into force on March 30, 2011 and is subject to appeal by the KAA for one year from that date./Beeline. Источник