ArmenTel Director General: We are determined to launch IP-Television service promptly and to an accomplished standard

ArmenTel CJSC is determined to launch IP-Television via public electronic- communication network (fixed-line telephony) as soon as possible, ArmenTel Director General Andrey Pyatakhin told media, on June 27.

He said that before launching the service the company is to coordinate certain terms and conditions with the Public Services Regulatory Committee of Armenia (PSRC) and conduct planning activities.  "We need to select the optimal technology for IP-TV now," Pyatakhin said.

He assured media that ArmenTel's fixed-line telephony is profitable and company pursues the trends of switchover from landline to Internet-based technologies and balances its portfolio of services in all segments. As for tariffs, the company is negotiating with the PSRC. Pyatakhin said that the company has an efficient network of mobile base stations and is going to invest in development of mobile Internet services.  He said that ArmenTel's line network is leased by 10 telecommunications operator-companies and the leasing tariffs are determined by the PSRC.

Commenting on introduction of mobile number portability - MNP in Armenia starting 2014, Pyatakhin said that the company assigns high priority to proper preparation for provision of the service. The success of the service in the market will depend on the positive experience of a subscriber.  He outlined the high-quality mobile Internet and small number of independent distributors of SIM-cards as the main peculiarities of the local telecommunications market.

Pyatakhin said that VimpelCom Ltd. Shareholders have set a task to ArmenTel. They need a sustainable long-term development of ArmenTel in order the company meets the interests of both VimpelCom and customers as long as possible, he explained.

As of late Dec 2012 the company's shareholders were Telenor (42.95% voting stock) and Altimo (47.8517% voting stock), as well as minority shareholders (9.1983% voting stock).  At the end of Q1 2013, the number of the subscribers of the Public Electronic Communications Networks of ArmenTel totaled 561.9 thousand, with 158.5 thousand having Internet access. At the same time, ArmenTel served 756.4 thousand active mobile numbers with a 0.5% annual growth and 27.9 thousand broadband Internet users (exclusive of the users of mobile devices) with a 13.9% annual growth, and 119.6 thousand subscribers using other data-transfer services  (5.3% growth).

According to the Analytical Bulletin "Financial Analysis of the Biggest Industrial Companies of Armenia" prepared by ArmInfo Agency of Rating Marketing Information on the basis of financial reports, ArmenTel Company's assets for 2012 totaled 125.5 bln drams ($312.4 mln), commodity stocks totaled 2.5 bln drams.  The company has no bank loans. The proceeds for 2012 totaled nearly 63.3 bln drams, with a 10% decline over the year, with net profits totaling 5.7 bln drams (down nearly 1%).