FAS will check the validity of the increase in the tariffs of MegaFon and Tele2

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has launched another investigation into the increase in tariffs by telecom operators “Megaphoneand Tele2. About it informs department press office.

“If the service determines that another increase in tariffs is unreasonable, the department has the right to initiate an antitrust case,” the report says.

The FAS explained that they started checking due to citizens’ requests to increase the cost of operator services. Thus, Tele2 plans to increase the cost of tariffs, the price of which has already changed in 2022, as well as services that have not yet risen in price this year. The FAS said they would check the validity of the company’s decision in the first case. The increase in prices for services, the cost of which did not change this year, was called reasonable in the service.

It is noted that “Megaphone» did not even notify the FAS about the upcoming tariff increase. In this regard, the department sent a request to the operator and launched an investigation.

December 27 Vedomosti wrotethat MegaFon and Tele2 subscribers received notifications from telecom operators about tariff increases. Megafon warned one of the clients about an increase in the cost of service by 32.5 rubles, up to 357.5 rubles. per month. Another subscriber received a message about an increase in the tariff by 55 rubles, up to 595 rubles.

On the same day FAS acknowledged Megafon is guilty of violating antitrust laws in another case. The agency concluded that the company unreasonably increased prices for services in May 2022.

The department clarified that they issued an order to the telecom operator that the company reduce the cost of services “to an economically justified level.” The size of the fine for Megafon can range from 300,000 to 1 million rubles.

In the summer of 2022, the FAS already checked the validity of the increase in prices for Tele2 services. Then the operator did not wait for the decision of the service and less than a day after the start of the investigation refused from a sharp increase in tariffs. The company clarified that they would raise prices by no more than 50 rubles.