Spain, Barcelona, Feb. 17 / Trend , P.Kasamanski/
Azercell Telecom President Ali Agan spoke to Trend in an exclusive interview
Question: What is your appraisal to Azercell's 2008 activities?
Answer: Last year was very successful for TeliaSonera Eurasia and Azercell. Azercell made a significant contribution to achieve this success.
2008 was full of important events and changes for us. Like in previous years, we achieved greater success than expected. Last year Azercell was developing in all spheres. Owing to high quality, services, place and significance in society, the company reached greater success.
In 2008, we organized an international conference in Baku to show the world Azerbaijan's technological capacity. The conference was attended by leaders of world's GSM-technology. As far as operating efficiency is concerned, we have estimated that Azercell is among world's top ten companies. From technical standpoint, the company is a leading member of the GSM Association uniting 700 operators. Last year, the number of Azercell subscribers topped 3.5 million and number of base stations exceeded 1,500.
With regard to paying taxes, Azercell is a leading company in the non-oil sector. We pay roughly 10 percent of all taxes in this sector. So far, we have paid off about $600 million of taxes.
Our investments in Azerbaijan have neared one billion dollars. As far as company's success over the past years is concerned, that is of course 3.5 million subscribers, 99.6 percent coverage of the country, and leadership in Azerbaijani market with a 60-percent share. But our main success and sole purpose is to be a company that Azerbaijan could be proud of. Financial results of 2008 give us grounds to believe that the country is proud of the company. We intend to achieve even better results in 2009.
Q: What is the success of Azercell?
A: Secret of our success is the following. Mobile communication operators do not differ from each other, judging by their offices and working principles. While customers trust you, you are successful. The biggest failure is to lose subscribers' trust. During the years of operating in Azerbaijan we were trying to be worthy of our clients' confidence.
Q: What is global financial crisis's impact on the company?
A: Global crisis has not bypassed any country. However, owing to correct policies of the Azerbaijani authorities, led by President Ilham Aliyev, the republic has suffered from least. Macroeconomic indicators of Azerbaijan are very high in comparison with other CIS countries. In 2008, Azerbaijan's economic growth hit 11 percent which is an important figure during the crisis. Economic growth topped 20 percent within last 5 years and economy's amount doubled. This is the highest figure. The European countries did not reach this level even during economic boom. Development of non-oil sector by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is a key reason of these factors. The President wants to turn our country in the region's technological centre and we as a giant company at the Azerbaijani non-oil sector will do our best to realize this strategy.
As Azerbaijan is one part of the world, it slightly felt crisis. However, we have not felt its serious influence, yet. Development rate has been lasting for 13 years.
Our sector, least of all feels the crisis. But, naturally, we have devised own investment plan for 209 regarding the crisis. Such a crisis will repeat, so far, they have numbered over 500. We will face this in future, as well. We have not suffered from the crisis as Russia, Kazakhstan, U.S., UK and other countries, and we are proud of you.
Q: What new services do you plan to offer your subscribers?
A: We are sure of our clients' loyalty and I think we can keep them not only with tariffs and qualitative communication, but also our services. We will divulge our innovation through media soon. 3G is a good opportunity to increase our services. Amongst Azerbaijan's mobile communication companies, first we applied to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (IT) in 2005 to get a license for 3G. But we have not only waited in this period. The company built networks on the basis of 3G-technology. We have invested and our network enables to offer services of this modern technology to subscribers. At the 2008 BakuTel exhibition, we have organized demo-presentation of these services and demonstrated them to President Ilham Aliyev visiting booth. We want our nation to use these services as soon as possible and our subscriber base is fully prepared for it.
Q: Are you going to change tariff network for mobile communication in 2010?
A: One of key directions of our 13-year activity is to apply the last innovations in Azerbaijan, which exist both is technology and service field, as well as in the field of new products. We intend to follow this policy in 2009. Azercell will offer new services and products to its subscribers.
As to tariffs, we always offer innovation in this field. Recently, we have applied 50-percent discount campaign for prepaid subscribers. We will conduct such companies in future, as well.
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