Reiman Wants Mobile Operators to Limit Tariff Hikes on CPP Launch

MOSCOW, Mar 20 (Prime-Tass) -- Russian mobile operators should take a "measured approach" in hiking their tariffs after the introduction of the Calling Party Pays principle, Russian IT and Telecommunications Minister Leonid Reiman told a news conference Monday.

Reiman did not rule out the possibility of minor tariff hikes, but said that the hikes should be limited. He did not elaborate.

Mobile operators will not be allowed to launch any "marketing tricks," such as the introduction of new charges for mobile users, such as connection fees for fixed-to-mobile calls, Reiman said.

The bill seeking to introduce the CPP principle was signed by the president on March 6 and comes into force on July 1. The law forbids telecommunication operators from charging receiving parties for incoming calls in most cases.

Currently, Russian mobile operators charge for most incoming fixed-to-mobile phone calls. They do offer, however, free fixed-to-mobile incoming calls on some contracts with a minimum monthly fee.

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Posted to the site on 20th March 2006