To protect consumers’ interests, the Communications Commission has rejected MagtiCom’s request for termination of the F10 license for the Magtifix service. This decision allows up to 10,000 subscribers, including the residents of the occupied territories, to continue receiving the Magtifix service. The Magtifix service is particularly important for residents of the occupied territories, seaside villages and highland settlements due to the lack of alternative communications channels in these areas.  

The Communications Commission discussed the rationality of MagtiCom’s request at today’s meeting. The Commission decided to reject the request by MagtiCom of 4 March 2021, as the termination of the Magtifix license would risk leaving up to 10,000 subscribers without service. Based on the Commission’s decision, MagtiCom is only entitled to terminate the service if the network is completely switched off and cannot be reactivated through the company’s technical means.

It is also worth noting that on 11 March 2021, the Commission reduced the cost of MagtiCom’s Magtifix service license hundredfold, from GEL 16.1 million to GEL 161,000. Furthermore, MagtiCom has already paid a large part of the revised license fee, and is only due to pay GEL 15,000 into the State Budget in order to continue using the license until 2029.

The Communications Commission first ruled on 13 June 2019 that MagtiCom had the obligation to continue providing the Magtifix service until the expiry of the license, or until it was able to provide active subscribers with an alternative means of communication.