OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2008. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) imposed administrative charges - 40 000 Rubles fine - on "Comstar-Direct" CJSC for violating the Federal Law "On Advertising".

On 9th June 2008, FAS Russia recognized that the advertisement of the services of unlimited Internet access as per "STREAM 1" rate, offered by "Comstar-Direct" CJSC, was improper because it breached Part 7 Article 5 of the Federal Law "On Advertising". The advertiser - "Comstar-Direct" CJSC was issued a determination to stop violating the advertising legislation.

From 01.10.2007 to 31.12.2007 "Comstar-Direct" CJSC placed two modules advertising unlimited Internet access as per "STREAM 1" tariff in Mosocw metro trains, inviting to get connected to the Internet under the "Stream 1 - campaign" rate plan.

Clients subscribed to the services "STREAM INTERNET" could sign contracts under the "Stream 1 - campaign" rate plan, with the monthly subscription fee 167 Rubles. Three months after subscribing to the "Stream 1 - campaign" rate plan, a subscriber (if s/he did not transfer to any of the existing rate plans), would be automatically transferred to a rate plan with a name without the "campaign" attachment - "Stream 1". Therefore, the price of the advertised services of unlimited Internet access under the "Stream 1 - campaign" rate plan would be increased three months after a subscriber was connected to the Internet to minimum 297 Rubles.

The advertisement failed to inform about changes of the subscription fee after three months. FAS Russia concluded that such information was essential and its absence twisted the meaning of the advertisement and mislead consumers with regard to the actually costs to the subscribers.

The advertisement of the services of unlimited Internet access as per "STREAM 1" rate, that failed to convey essential information on the conditions of changing the costs of the advertised services, was in breach of Part 7 Article 5 of the Federal Law "On Advertising".