Page 95 - RUSRptSept18

charge depending on user, content, or website have been introduced by the Russian council on digital economy development to the Federation Council, the Kommersant d aily reported on August 6. The measures could negatively affect Russian telecom majors and providers, which would lose flexibility and the ability to diversify the tariffs. In 2016 the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) already prepared the base draft of the net neutrality bill, which was coordinated with Vimplecom, MegaFon, MTS, Rostelecom mobile majors and large internet providers, as well as with Internet majors Yandex, Mail.ru, and the government. The bill allowed for "traffic management" in cases necessary to curb cyber-attacks, in emergency situations and during overloads, as well as under court rulings. Representatives of Rostelecom, MTS, and other telecom players told Kommersant t hat the previous FAS draft maintained a status quo, and also was seen as a compensation to Russian providers for the additional costs of implementing the anti-terrorist data storage, "Yarovaya Law" package .
Russian mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is preparing to enter IT outsourcing market , planning to provide system integration, service support and internal IT service management for corporate clients, Vedomosti daily reported on August 6 citing the representative of the company. The daily reminds that MTS told the investors in its 2017 annual report that IT market is growing faster than traditional corporate telecom services. Now MTS seeks to take 10% of IT outsourcing market. Together with MegaFon's recent pledge to focus on digital and IT (including through Mail.ru internet major ), mobile operators are emerging as some of largest investors in the digital economy. Reportedly MTS will have computing and storage capacities for rent, will provide cloud services, as well as install infrastructure and hardware. In 2017 MTS acquired a stake in Russian developer Oblachyi Retail that develops cloud-based retail software that combines a cash register terminal and a merchandising system. In 2015 MTS also acquired system integrator NVision Group from its mother holding AFK Sistema for $264mn, Vedomosti reminds. In 2017 MTS boosted the IT specialists working in the company by 1,500 people or 40%. The company seeks to boost fintech service capabilities by consolidating control in the MTS Bank . Also MegaFon, Vimpelcom, and Rostelecom provide various degrees of IT outsourcing, the representatives of the companies commented to the daily. Analysts surveyed by Vedomosti n ote that IT outsourcing market is saturated on the supply side and is sensitive to price movements, thus not excluding that large mobile operators might choose price dumping at early stages of entry to quickly gain market share.
The transportation department of the City of Moscow is drafting a bill that would fine private drivers for accepting cash from carpooling passengers and block and/or fine carpool aggregators such as BlaBlaCar, BeepCar, and Yandex.Poputka, Kommersant daily reported on August 21 citing the copy of the bill. Stringent regulation in the largest city in Russia could slow down the growing carpooling segment. Carsharing, car pooling and online taxi booking is an emerging business in Russia, attracting investment and already subject to fierce competition. The total car sharing and taxi market in 2017-2025 will grow 2.5-fold to RUB1.6 trillion ($24bn) by Sberbank CIB. Reportedly Moscow authorities plan to introduce special accreditation for carpooling platforms, set a ceiling for ride costs, only allow non-cash transactions, only allow drivers with experience of more than 3 years and without a criminal record or driving fines to register on the platforms, as well as introducing a mandatory medical check-up for drivers that accept over 20 carpooling rides per year.
9.1.8 Telecoms sector news
Russian mobile operators have started to comply with the ruling of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) and are lifting domestic roaming charges in Russia. In September 2017 FAS watchdog agreed on the terms for ending domestic internal roaming in Russia with four major mobile operators
95 RUSSIA Country Report September 2018 www.intellinews.com