MagtiCom Publishes the Terms of Access to its Network for Companies in Accordance with its Obligations

Within the framework of the obligations imposed by the Communications Commission as a result of the comprehensive study, MagtiCom has published an invitation to offer for operators wishing to access its network. The 2024 study found that MagtiCom was an operator with significant power on the mobile and fixed network markets. Therefore, the company was required to provide access to both its fixed and mobile networks, and to publish the relevant offers for access. In addition, ComCom has established a regulatory framework for wholesale access to mobile and fixed networks. This obligation allows companies seeking access to receive advance information on the conditions of access, ensuring transparent, non-discriminatory and fair conditions for them.

Companies wishing to gain access to the network already have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions for access published by MagtiCom, and to apply for the following services: On the fixed network – wholesale access services for local and central (bitstream) access at a fixed location; and on the mobile network – wholesale access services for national roaming, co-location and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).

MagtiCom’s invitation to offer outlines detailed technical and commercial conditions for wholesale access to mobile and fixed networks, including the wholesale access service tariffs. The invitation to offer is published on the websites of both MagtiCom and the Communications Commission.

Through its decisions, ComCom determined what the elements of the invitation to offer should be, to ensure that applicants receive sufficiently detailed information, are able to effectively prepare and submit an application, and evaluate the conditions of access to ensure the provision of retail services on terms similar to those offered by the operator with significant market power. To this end, the Commission determined that the invitation to offer of an operator with significant market power must, at the very least, contain the following elements: Description of access services; access tariffs; technical conditions for access, including network architecture and all relevant technical standards for access to the network; equipment specifications that an access applicant must use to connect to the network of an operator with significant market power; terms of service provision and the procedure in case of changes to those terms; service quality standards and guarantees; fault reporting and repair procedures; payment terms, and more.

The EU experts involved in the comprehensive study determined that the retail markets for mobile and fixed broadband internet services in Georgia are uncompetitive and stagnant. In order to eliminate competition-related problems, specific obligations were imposed on the operator with significant market power identified as a result of the study.

In 2022, the Communications Commission, together with the experts of the European Union, with the funding of the European Union and within the framework of the assistance for the implementation of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia (“AA Facility II”), started working on the comprehensive research project on the Georgian telecom market. The project serves to enhance competition on the Georgian telecommunications market, bring the regulatory framework of Georgia closer to the European framework in accordance with the obligations under the Association Agreement, as well as provide diverse, high-quality and affordable services for consumers. The comprehensive study was conducted over two years. Research of this magnitude has not been conducted on the Georgian telecom market before. The study conducted by the EU experts was also revised by the experts of TAIEX (EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Tool).