12 July, Minsk /Andrei Asfura – BELTA/. This year, an increase in the cost of fixed telephone services is possible. This was announced today to journalists by the General Director of RUP "Beltelecom" Sergei Popkov, BELTA correspondent reports. According to him, the issue of increasing prices for fixed telephone services will be decided in the third quarter of 2012. How it will be resolved will depend on the pace of development in this area and the country's financial and economic situation. "We do not need extra money," the head of the company assured. Sergei Popkov noted that last year "Beltelecom" did not raise prices for its services. In the first half of the year, the national telecommunications operator increased tariffs for most services, but the price increase was not as significant as that of other operators. Currently, fixed telephone services are not associated with high profitability. This is due to the fact that the population of Belarus has started to use fixed telephone services less frequently. For example, today about 50% of subscribers are content with 60 preferential minutes, i.e., the company is practically providing social services. At the same time, foreign experts predict an increase in demand for fixed-line services in the next 2-3 years. "Fixed-line services will regain their position in the coming years due to reliability, quality, and high speeds," believes the General Director. -0-

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