OREANDA-NEWS. On July 26-27, 2007 the city of Kokshetau hosted the meeting devoted to the summary of activity of JSC Kazakhtelecom, leading telecommunication operator of Kazakhstan, in the first six months of 2007, reported the press-centre of RTA.  

The meeting attended Mr.Akhabaev Beibit, Chairman of the Board of directors and managing director of JSC Kazakhstani holding on management of state assets Samruk, Mr.Zhumagaliev Askar, president of JSC Kazakhtelecom, and executive managers of all divisions and affiliated branches of the joint stock companies.

During the reported period the emphasis in the JSC Kazakhtelecom’s work was placed on accomplishing the objectives set out in the Plan for development of the Company for 2007-2009, namely, strengthening of an image of being a client –oriented, innovative, technologically and economically efficient company. Summarizing the results of a six month work, the head of JSC Kazakhtelecom notified that “the Company got much closer to clients and consumers”.

Financial indicators
The total accrued revenues of the Company’s affiliated branches from providing telecommunication services on the subscriber segment in the first six months 2007 are estimated at KZT 41 bln 484 mln (106,3% against the plan), with the revenue growth being 9% to the same period in 2006, with the plan indicator of 3,48%.

Comparative rating of JSC Kazakhtelecom’s affiliated branches on general implementation of the plan on accrued revenues in the first six months 2007 shows that most significant indicators were achieved by the South-Kazakhstani, Akmolinski, Almatinski affiliations and Corporate Sales Administration.

Technical indicators
On the project of creation of the National information super backbone (NISB) during the first six months as many as 1140 kms of the Almaty-Karaganda FOCL was completed. The Aktobe-Uralsk section of the FOCL is at its final stage of construction. The DWDM equipment (technology of spectrum multiplexing enabling to significantly increase bandwidth of communications lines) was established on section Almaty-Shymkent-Aktobe.

New Generation Networks (NGN) on the basis of the Local Telecommunication Center Almatytelecom have already been constructed and brought into operation in 2007, as well as the installation and start-up operation works on the NGN equipment in the cities of Karaganda and Pavlodar have been completed. The NGN network on the left bank of the city of Astana has been brought into trial operation.

As many as 123 thousand 694 main telephone sets (MTS) were planned for installation in the first six months, with the actual figure being 130 thousand 374 MTS, which made up 105,4% to the target plan, including: on local network – 104 thousand 226 MTS (80%), rural network – 19 thousand 468 MTS (20%). Thus, as of July 1, 2007, the total number of MTS made up 2 mln 873 thousand 95 units. The number of MTS across the whole population of the country made up 2 mln 491 thousand 413 units (or 86,7% out of the total number of MTS), across legal entities – 381 thousand 682 units (or 13,3% out of the total number of MTS).

And yet the most significant achievement in implementing the target plan on installing MTS were shown in East-Kazakhstani, Atyrausski, MAnguistausski and Kostanaisski affiliated branches.

To secure provision to the rural population of a large range of high quality telecommunication services, JSC Kazakhtelecom has proceeded to implementing the project on deployment of the National network of wireless communications on the basis of CDMA-450 (450 MHz) standard. The network of wireless access being implemented in Kazakhstan is deemed to be a breakthrough project launched jointly with JSC Kazakhstani holding on management of state assets Samruk. Implementation of the project will enable to radically resolve the problem of digital inequality between rural and urban citizens, and most importantly, will secure implementation of necessary conditions on increase of telephone density of rural networks (23 telephones per 100 inhabitants) in order for Kazakhstan to enter the top 50 most developed countries of the world on the level of development telecommunication market.

Tariff policy
To secure price accessibility of its services JCS Kazakhtelecom continues pursuing flexible tariff policy. In the first quarter 2007 the Company carried out the activities aimed at improving the tariff policy. Specifically, from January 1, 2007 the tariffs for international communication services have been reduced by two times, for connection with the networks of mobile communication operators – by 4,6%. The tariff for connection of legal entities to the telephone network – reduced by 25%.

From February 1, 2007 the tariff for international services provided with the use of prepaid cards Tarlan has been reduced by two times. Also the tariffs for the switched access to the Internet (“the Internet Zone”) services were reduced by 5%, for the broadband access services for legal entities – by 20%, for the services of broadband access to “the Kazakhstani Internet” – reduced by 20-38%, for natural persons on the tariff plan “Megaline Hit” – reduced by 19-23%.

Also from July 1, 2007 the tariffs have been set for the services of connecting the networks of the IP-telephony operators to the public networks, and making throughput of telephone traffic of IP-operators.

One of the important tasks of JSC Kazakhtelecom is to improve customers servicing quality. In the first quarter 2007 the Company continued its purposeful work aimed at further enhancing the process of sales and after-sale servicing. Specifically, the system of monitoring (or follow-up system) over the progress of customers applications for installation of telephone lines has been worked out and the deadlines for installing telephone lines to those customers standing in line over one year have been determined. The Company also started implementing the pilot project in the cities of Almaty and Astana called “electronic line-up”.