Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Jan. 5 / Trend, D. Azizov /
The Uzbek government has imposed a fee for use of subscriber numbers by legally established companies rendering mobile communications services (mobile companies) from Jan.1, 2012.
According to the Uzbek President's decree, who approved the state budget parameters for 2012 just before the New Year, mobile communication operators will pay 400 soums per month for each subscriber number.
Funds received from fees for use of subscriber number will be allocated as follows: 90 per cent - to the state budget, 10 per cent - to the Uzbek Agency for Communication and Information with a target direction for funding investment programmes.
At present, the number of mobile subscribers in Uzbekistan exceeds 25 million, while the number of Internet users, 7.9 million, over 4.27 million of which use mobile Internet.
At present, there are five mobile operators in Uzbekistan; Uzdunrobita (provides services under the MTS brand, GSM standard), Unitel (Beeline, GSM), Coscom (UCell, GSM), Perfectum Mobile (Rubicon Wireless Communication, CDMA ) and Uzbektelecom Mobile branch, the Uzbektelecom joint stock company and (Uzmobile, CDMA) in Uzbekistan.
In late 2011, three major mobile operators, MTS-Uzbekistan, UCell and Beeline announced a slight increase in their telephone tariffs. The cost per minute of an outgoing call on most tariffs does not exceed three per cent (within the network - even cheaper) and incoming calls are almost always free.
The official exchange rate is 1796.22 sums to $1 on Jan.5.