ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Information and Communications recently announced plans to change the rules regulating telecommunication services to prevent wireless communications services from imposing unnecessary services for users.
Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev
“The ministry is making changes in the rules. We believe that the amendments are designed to solve many problems that cellular communication subscribers have faced for a long time. For example, the new rules do not allow mobile network operators to render services in the absence of funds on the balance sheet, in particular it concerns roaming services. We will prevent operators from activities with the negative cash balance,” said Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev in a post on Facebook Jan. 9.
According to the minister, a beep signal when dialling to the numbers transferred from one network to another will also be eliminated. Installation of additional acoustic signals and pauses before the call signal is now available only at the request of the subscriber.
“We also introduce a USSD command or sending SMS to solve the issue of imposing additional communication services. Accidentally pressing the keypad while the phone is not in use, accidentally sending a message or other actions will not result in the connection of undesirable services,” he said.
The full version of the document will be published in the media soon and the regulation will enter into force within 10 days after that.
“The mobile operators will have to introduce a single customer service and help desk number with the introduction of the rules. The contact number is 116 now. Restriction on the distribution of advertisements at night, except for information on emergencies will be introduced. The measures will not entail additional financial burdens for operators, and tariff increases are not expected,” said Tariff Analysis and Tariff Regulation Department Head Timur Bailov.
