OREANDA-NEWS. April 10, 2012. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against Yekaterinburg City Authority upon signs of violating Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon Yekaterinburg City Authority passing an Order “On Limiting Putting Fibro-Optical Communication Lines on Outdoor Lighting and Contact Network Poles in “Yekaterinburg City” Municipality” of 16th September 2011.

The document approved the timeframe for dismantling fibro-optical communication lines on outdoor lighting and contact network poles. Dismantling should take place in 2012 - 2015. Specialized municipal unitary enterprises are requested to stop concluding contracts for using the above facilities in view of the dismantling schedule and notify the owners of fibro-optical communication lines about terminating contracts for using these facilities to place fibro-optical communication lines.

According to FAS, the Order of Yekaterinburg City Authority creates unreasonable obstacles for operation of providers that use fibro-optical communication lines to render various communications services to Yekaterinburg residents, provides preferential conditions for economic entities, in particular, providers that have their own line - cable structures, and can restrict competition on the market of communications services.

The case is scheduled for 17th May 2012.

FAS would like to point out that in the future it will continue carefully monitoring such acts adopted by the authorities of the constituent territories of the Russian Federation and local self-government bodies as well as actions of their officers that can create additional barriers for operating on the market of communications services and hinder development of competition.