Eesti Telefon to cut international tariffs

  • 1999-02-25
  • Kairi Kurm
TALLINN - The Estonian telecommunications company, Eesti Telefon, promised to decrease its tariffs on international calls by 2001 in preparation for future competition. Eesti Telefon will lose its monopoly position on the Estonian telecommunication market in 2001 and will have to compete with international companies which offer much lower rates.

"Presently Eesti Telefon is subsidizing local calls on account of international calls. International and local companies do not approve of this action. The tariff of each service should correspond to its actual price," said Enno Kiviloo, spokesperson at Eesti Telefon.

Eesti Telefon might cut its tariffs by three times. He also said that monthly subscription fees paid by private persons should be equal to those paid by corporate subscribers, who now pay more for the same services.

"It is the policy of the state to protect private persons who are not able to pay. The market will regulate the price," said Kiviloo.