92367701 Turkmenistan will acquire sole cellular operator
Turkmen authorities plan to privatize the state company "Altyn Asyr, which provides cellular services in the country under the brands" Altyn Asyr and TM CELL. Informs Reuters referring to local newspaper "Neutral Turkmenistan". According to the newspaper, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted "the importance of the transformation is now operating under the Ministry of Communications of the enterprise mobile (TM Cell) in the non-state actors." As reported online edition of Turkmenistan.ru, Berdimuhamedov instructed the government to "study the issue" on creation of private cellular operators and joint ventures with large international mobile companies (the share of local firms in this case would be more than 50 per cent). "In order for mobile communication between the companies arose competition, you must create at least three self-employed are not dependent on the state of cellular communication companies," – said the president of Turkmenistan. New private operators must obtain national title, and the state will help them soft loans. Mobile operator Altyn Asyr currently has a monopoly in the cellular market of Turkmenistan. Previously, the only competitor Altyn Asyr was the "daughter" of Russian operator MTS – Barash Communications Technologies (BCTI). December 21 Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan has suspended the license of BCTI, the validity of which was due to expire in 2012. Until now, the work of BCTI not renewed. MTS previously estimated damage from the cessation of activity in Turkmenistan is approximately $ 600 million. The operator also has filed two lawsuits to the Turkmen Ministry of Communications – in the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and the Arbitration Court of Turkmenistan. In addition, in late January, MTS Turkmen government has threatened to file a lawsuit to arbitration at the World Bank.
