Avirtel Provider Intends to Defend Business from Aztelekom Attacks in Court

Baku / 11.10.19 / Turan: On October 10, the Sumgait Territorial Economic Court began consideration of the claim of the Azerbaijani provider Avirtel against Absheron telecommunications hub owned by Aztelekom LLC. The provider accuses Aztelekom of "stealing subscribers", that is, forcibly, without the permission of citizens, transferring their Internet traffic to their services.

Telecommunications expert Osman Gunduz reports that 1,300 customers were taken away from Avirtel in Absheron alone. He reports the complete crowding out of several private providers from a number of areas. Of the seven providers operating there in the Khachmaz region, not one remained, only Aztelekom operates in the region.

Judge Wafa Azizova listened to Avirtel's claims. Representatives of Aztelekom were not allowed to go to court because, according to the judge, the defendant is the Absheron telecommunications center, whose representative was not in court. The next meeting is scheduled for October 12, Avirtel lawyer Gazanfar Pashayev told Turan.

Aztelekom LLC, represented by its subsidiary Absheron Telecommunications Center, has been taking targeted actions since 2016 to oust private competitors from the provider services market. In 2016, Aztelekom increased the cost of providing Internet traffic, rental communications and the cost of electricity for Avirtel from 5.90 manat to 210 manat per month. Avirtel does not agree with this price and demands to justify the reason for such a rise in price of services, Pashayev explained.

Since Aztelekom is a monopolist in the sale of traffic to private companies, before selling services to a subscriber, Avirtel must apply to Aztelekom, which delays the response by 10-15 days. Consumers cannot wait that long and are turning to the state monopolist for the Internet.

Since 2016, Aztelekom has been making calls to Avirtel customers who are told about the low quality of the company's services and offer to sign a consumer agreement with Aztelekom. These are reported by Avirtel consumers. When they do not agree with the offer of Aztelekom, which imposes high prices for the Internet, the latter company cuts off the wires.

G. Pashayev said that as a result of such actions Avirtel lost 2,000 customers in Ganja and 191 in Khachmaz. Until 2016, this company served about 13 thousand customers. According to the agreement signed with Avirtel, consumers are obliged to notify the company of the termination of relations with it in a month, but Aztelekom forces individuals and legal entities to violate this clause of the contract. "Theft of customers" continues, and Avirtel predicts complete bankruptcy in 2-3 months.

According to information in Turan, Aztelekom takes similar actions against Azevrotel. Kamal Ali, a resident of the Yasamal district of Baku, and his neighbors in the fifth house on Narimanov Street (Baku) were forced to refuse the services of this company after Aztelekom cut off the telephone wires to the apartments without notifying the residents and installed its own. Azevrotel did not oppose this, freely refusing contracts with the customers.

Aztelekom employees told former Aztelekom customers that they will receive the best quality Internet through fiber optic cables.

G. Pashayev told Turan that in fact, fiber optic communication exists before the equipment in Aztelekom, after which an ordinary copper wire is used to the client"s apartment.

Turan turned to the manager of the public relations department of Aztelekom LLC Ainura Hasanova, who sent the editorial office an answer to the agency"s question about the position of this LLC.

Aztelekom LLC announces that on January 1, 2013, it entered into a contract with Avirtel for the use of the territory and energy for a period of one year. 15 days before the end of the contract if there is no desire of one of the parties to terminate it, the contract is extended for another year. In 2016, the LLC changed tariffs, and it became necessary to conclude a new contract, on which all providers, also Avirtel, were informed. While other providers entered into a new agreement, Avirtel refused to sign the new agreement, while deliberately refusing to fulfill the deductions coming from the 2013 document. On November 30, 2018 and December 6, 2018, Aztelekom notified Avirtel that the previous contract (dated 2013) will not be extended.

At present, there are no legal grounds for placing Avirlel property and using electricity in the official territory of Aztelekom and its subsidiary Absheron Telecommunications Node (ATN). Avirtel tricks consumers who are not aware of these circumstances by blaming structural units of ATN, including those operating in the regions. Avirtel puts the blame on Aztelekom, trying to arouse citizens' hostile feelings for a state-owned company conducting large-scale innovative events.

New hardware complexes are bought and installed, and old cables are replaced by fiber optic ones. The response also said that despite warnings, many providers, including Avirtel, did not take measures to combine and dock the equipment used with the new technology introduced by Azevrotel. As a result, subscribers were left without communication. Aztelekom was forced to provide traffic to these subscribers for free for some time.

The transfer of a part of subscribers to Aztelekom's business is considered to be their voluntary choice there. Subscribers also have the opportunity to purchase the services of other providers," Aztelekom LLC said in an official response. -0-