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Nothing related| Belarus: Universal Access Fund Established |
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| Tuesday, 27 February 2007 | |
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The President of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has ordered telecommunications operators to contribute 1.5% of their annual profits into a universal access fund.
The President signed ordinance 96 on 20 February 2007 to establish the “Targeted Budget Comprehensive Services Fund”, which will be financed through transfers from telecommunication companies. Telecom operators will have access to the fund through a competitive bidding process. According to a representative in the Communication and IT Ministry, the fund is required to have a reserve for the provision of telecommunication services to lower-income residents. Applicants for funds must be capable of providing fixed-line services, Internet access and pay phones in unserved villages. Beltelecom, the monopoly fixed line operator in Belarus, has insisted that the fund to support universal access will not lead to price hikes. Beltelecom has reassured its subscribers that fees are not expected to rise and that the government has lowered the company’s contributions to the budgetary innovation fund from 19% to 17.5% of their revenues. Source: Prime-Tass, DMEurope and TeleGeography - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News |
