Russia’s MTS can avoid fines for copying MegaFon’s style

MOSCOW, Jan 15 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service can issue a warning to mobile operator MTS for use of corporate style of its competitor, MegaFon, when selling contracts, and if it is ignored, the authority will open a case and impose a fine, Yana Sklyarova, head of the service’s unfair competition department, said late Thursday.

“If we find signs of violation of the competition law by MTS, in compliance with the new version of the law, in force since January 5, the Federal Antimonopoly Service will make a warning. If it is fulfilled, no fines will be imposed,” Sklyarova said without disclosing any amounts of the possible penalty.

Blogger Timofei Vasilyev posted on Wednesday photos of packages with MTS contracts designed like those of competitors, MegaFon, VimpelCom and Tele2 taken at Telefon.ru, a chain belonging to MTS.

MegaFon complained on Thursday to the antimonopoly service, which confirmed a receipt of the corresponding application.

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