UPDATE: Antitrust opens case against MegaFon for unjustified tariff rise

(Adds MegaFon’s comment in last paragraph)

MOSCOW, Oct 13 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service has opened a case against MegaFon for raising tariffs by 12% on average in May, the watchdog said on Thursday in a statement.

The antitrust service said that MegaFon hiked tariffs for connection services in May for more than 16.5 million subscribers by 12% on average, which was not in line with inflation.

“Therefore, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia analysed economic grounds behind the rise. The authority concluded that the increase of the company’s expenses did not correspond to the growth of incomes from the increase of the tariffs of connection services. It can hurt the interests of consumers,” the service said.

A MegaFon spokesperson said, “We informed the Federal Antimonopoly Service well in advance of the changes in the price of tariffs. We are now in a close contact with the authority and is providing it with additional documents proving our position.”

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