AZEUROTEL- UNIVERSAL OPERATOR OF INTEGRATED INFO-COMMUNICATION SERVICES
Caspian Energy (CE): Mr. Ahmadov, could you review the history and goals of establishment of AzEuroTel?
Nuru Ahmadov, General Director of AzEuroTel JV: AzEuroTel started its activity in 1995 as a joint venture of the Ministry of Communication of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Lukoil Europe Ltd (Great Britain). The company was founded on the base of the decade-step exchange-92, which by that time had been exploiting for 42 years. Four generations of automatic exchanges (decade-step, coordinate, quasi-electron and electron) changed one after another over this period of the telecommunication industry. Established on the base of this exchange our company after reconstruction immediately introduced SYSTEM X technology-based electronic exchange manufactured by GPT Ltd (Great Britain). At first we substituted 80% of out-of-date distribution main lines and 100% of subscriber lines. The own SDH transportation optic-fiber network constructed in 1997 enabled to reduce load on interexchange flows of the Baku city telephone network. Thus, for the first time in Azerbaijan corporate customers got access to the communication knot of AzEuroTel through dedicated optical channels. However, the company went on introducing innovations and in 1999 launched earth satellite station, provided the banking sector with the access to commercial information resources SWIFT, REUTERS, etc. In March 2003 the company introduced IP-telephony on the basis of the own communication platform.
CE: Why is AzEuroTel a unique company?
Nuru Ahmadov: AzEuroTel JV holds a unique position in the telecommunication market of Azerbaijan. As a rule, there are several large fields. There are companies, which render only fixed communication services or in other words telephony, whereas other companies offer mobile communication services. These are mobile operators. Our company is unique because along with mobile communication we offer the whole range of telecommunication services. The main distinction of ours is the wide range of services and communication quality.
Services provided by AzEuroTel today are as following:
• Local, long-distance and international communication
• High-speed Internet access (upon dedicated line, ADSL technology)
• Data transmission
• Access to financial and informational resources
• "Triple Play" broadband communication services
• "Virtual number" service
• Pre-paid telephone cards
• Wireless communication of DECT standard
• Channel leasing
• Projection, construction, mounting, reconstruction of communication structures
• Payphone communication
CE: How many subscribers does the Company have? What is the coverage geography of rendered services and what concrete services do you offer?
Nuru Ahmadov: The number of subscribers makes approximately 30,000. As to the geographical location, our station is situated in the center of the city in the business district of the capital. 60% of our subscribers are the corporate sector, the Presidential Office, transnational petroleum companies such as AMOCO, StatOil, LukOil, BP, embassies, government agencies, and banks. We do not have a complaints reception day by a simple reason we do not have complaints. We introduce state-of-the-art technological innovations to improve the communication quality. For instance, the communication quality of IP telephony provided to our subscribers does not differ from traditional voice telephony.
CE: As is known, when a customer changes his office he has to change telephone numbers. What solutions does AzEuroTel offer to your clients in such cases?
Nuru Ahmadov: A subscriber can preserve a previous number only if he continues using services of the same operator. AzEuroTel has its own solution to such a problem. Recently we have commenced introduction of a new advanced service. A subscriber is offered a single "virtual" telephone number, which is not bounded to any concrete address. The principle of operation of this service is that all incoming calls of subscriber are received to this number. Switching to a single number is implemented through readdressing and does not depend upon the telephone set that sends a call. This allows a subscriber to preserve his number even while traveling around the world or changing operators. If a customer moves to another office and changes a phone number his virtual number remains the same which enables to receive incoming calls to a new address or a new phone number.
CE: What does new ‘Triple Play' service of yours include? What advantages do subscribers enjoy?
Nuru Ahmadov: The Triple Play's essence is that having subscribed to the given service once a subscriber receives simultaneously three services through an ordinary telephone line. These are high-speed Internet access, digital IP-TV covering up to 100 channels and IP-telephony. It is very comfortable and easy for customers. This "three in one" service provides the single account and the common service center if probable troubles occur. Customer has the opportunity to watch TV choosing one of hundred channels, use Internet and speak by phone. For us this means not only next investing of money in a certain project. These are strategic investments for us as they will give us concrete advantages and enable to conquer the significant part of the telecommunication service market. ‘Triple Play' service also allows a subscriber to form a package upon his own choice and select 1, 2 or all three services included in the package.
CE: How successful is AzEuroTel's partnership with foreign telecommunication companies? Does the Company provide subscribers with access to global financial & information resources?
Nuru Ahmadov: AzEuroTel JV cooperates with such famous telecommunication companies as Cable&Wireless, MTT, Sovintel, MCI, Rostelecom, InSat, and Advantek. We take the lead in offering access to the resources of the largest world companies. These are exchanges and news analytical agencies. This service provides customers with the access to the following resources: the electronic trading system of the Moscow and Baku Interbank Currency Exchanges, the information-dealing system of Bloomberg, the information system of Telerate IMS, the electronic trading system of the Saint Petersburg Currency Exchange, and the electronic trading system of the Asian-Pacific Currency Exchange.
CE: How is the reconstruction of the coin network proceeding?
Nuru Ahmadov: Over the last years JV has been carrying out certain work on reconstruction of the coin-box telephone network and upgrading the management system. To date we have installed 24 card-monetary telephones. 20 are in operation in the territory of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, whereas the rest 4 are located within the AzEuroTel's service area. Coin-box telephones allow making local and long-distance calls. AzEuroTel is the only operator in Azerbaijan which monetary telephones work with national currency. Considerably low cost of a telephone call that cannot be compared with expensive mobile communication enables us to face the future with optimism. In future we plan to improve the existing and introduce new services meeting demands of customers.
CE: What near-term plans does the Company have? What projects you are going to launch in the near future?
Nuru Ahmadov: At the moment the user basis of the JV's broadband network exceeds 1,000 subscribers. The Company's plans include bringing their number to several tens of thousands. The Company also plans to expand the geography covered. We are going to expand the network and overstep the territory of the Absheron Peninsula and cover a number of regions of the country.
The perspective plans of the Company are to provide interactive television services, or video on demand. This service will enable to fulfill the advance order of television programs. In addition, subscribers will have the opportunity to make the ‘Digital Home' Conception a reality. This conception provides using all advantages of the high-speed access to Internet for consulting to doctors, getting education, videoconference, etc. In future the Company plans to introduce wireless high-speed Internet access based on WiMAX technology.
CE: What social projects, sponsorship and charity activity does the Company implement?
Nuru Ahmadov: The Company implements numerous social projects aimed at backing certain social layers. The major idea of our social policy is to render all possible assistance to orphans. The Company renders charity and sponsorship assistance in implementation of the whole range of cultural projects, sport events, competitions for children along with the aid to invalids of the Karabakh war. Climbing the leadership peak in all fields of its activity AzEuroTel JV bears in mind the importance of social aid and does its best to promote creating well-being society and, thus, lays the basis for own long lasting success.