Aztelecom raises Internet tariffs without waiting for the completion of the antimonopoly investigation

On the evening of August 15, Azerbaijan's state telecommunications provider Aztelecom, under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, raised tariffs for its Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) services, despite an ongoing antitrust investigation.

Aztelecom updated its website, aztelekom.az, with new pricing that significantly increased the minimum internet speeds available to consumers. Under the revised tariffs, the minimum traffic speed has risen from 40 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s. Consumers will now pay 25 manats per month for 100 Mbit/s, 30 manats for 150 Mbit/s, and 36 manats for 250 Mbit/s. Previously, the lowest speed package of 40 Mbit/s cost 18 manats.

The announcement comes amid scrutiny by Azerbaijan's State Service for Antimonopoly Policy and Consumer Market Control. On August 14, the agency initiated a review of the pricing changes introduced by state telecom providers Aztelecom and Baktelecom. The investigation aims to determine whether the actions of the providers adhere to the Competition Code and whether the new tariffs were implemented in accordance with legal standards.

The decision to investigate was made following criticism from industry experts, who raised concerns about the unilateral actions of the state-owned providers. Aztelecom’s price hike has intensified worries about monopolistic control in Azerbaijan's telecommunications market, bringing issues of consumer protection and market transparency to the forefront.

As the probe continues, the outcome may set a precedent for how pricing policies are regulated in Azerbaijan's  evolving digital landscape.