Armenia Telephone Company
The Armenia Telephone Company, ArmenTel short, is the largest telecommunications company in Armenia. The company is owned since 2006 completely the second largest Russian mobile operator VimpelCom ( Beeline see ), operating since 2008 under the name Beeline.
History
In the Armenian SSR telephony was regulated by the Postal and Communications Ministry. The telephone network was operated in the capital Yerevan and the rest of the Republic, each a monopolist. In 1995, the newly created Armenia Telephone Company ( ArmenTel ) was sold as a monopolist for international calls to 49% to the American company Trans-World Telecom. 1996 ArmenTel merged with the operator of the telephone network of Yerevan and in 1997 with the operator of the network in the rest of the country.
Owned by OTE 1998-2006
In 1998, the Greek incumbent OTE 90 % of ArmenTel, the remaining shares were excluded from the Armenian government. The Government conceded ArmenTel a monopoly for 15 years, while OTE committed in the fixed network to invest the establishment and development of a mobile network. According to the company ArmenTel has invested solely in the years 1998-2003 around 200 million U.S. dollars.
However, OTE has been accused of exploiting the monopoly position of ArmenTel and insufficient to meet commitments in terms of privatization. Internet rates were about three times as high as in Georgia and Azerbaijan. After OTE has threatened to pull out of ArmenTel, a compromise was reached on 4 November 2004 with the Armenian government, in which OTE remains a monopolist in the fixed network business. In turn, investment commitments have been clarified and OTE agreed to give up the monopoly of the mobile division ArmenTel GSM, whereupon for only 7 million U.S. dollars quickly a second mobile license to the Lebanese company VivaCell was awarded.
As of 1 July 2005 the new competitor in Armenia took its mobile network in operation, the ArmenTels week collapsed. In spring 2006, customers were asked for fictitious online phone calls to countries like East Timor to the checkout. ArmenTel claimed to bear no blame for the bills. Processes are pending.
ArmenTel is the second largest taxpayers of Armenia ( eg, in 2005, 15.3 billion drams, the equivalent of around 28 million euros ).
Since the acquisition by VimpelCom in 2006
On 3 November 2006 Beeline was the winner of a multi-stage bidding process out, also took part in the German Telekom at the first stage, and then took over the share of OTE for EUR 341.9 million ( added liabilities assumed in the amount of approximately 40 million euros ). On 22 March 2007 the Armenian government announced the remaining 10% of shares ( 1,883,771 pieces ) for sale for around 28 million euros to VimpelCom, ie at the same price, the VimpelCom had previously paid for the other stocks. Finally, in 2008 the name was changed to ArmenTel Beeline.
Memberships
International Telecommunication Union