FAS announced fines for PIK for restricting access of providers to homes

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) decided to fine PIK groups and Lovit, a communications operator that is part of it, for restricting providers’ access to residential buildings. This is reported on the website of the department.

“Officials of management companies will be imposed administrative fines in the amount of 20 to 50 thousand rubles or disqualification for a period of up to 3 years, limiting competition in the market of communication services operator “Lovitel” — a revolving fine from 1 to 15% of revenue in the market of Internet access services”, — stated in the message.

Earlier, the antimonopoly authorities opened a case against the developer and ordered to provide access to providers in apartment buildings.

According to the FAS, the operator has developed and posted on the official website the procedure for access to cable sewerage. "The document establishes non-discriminatory conditions for other telecom operators to place their networks on the infrastructure of Lovitel for an economically justified fee," the ministry said.

PIK management companies considered 330 requests from operators to place networks in homes, but they complained about “new obstacles to the provision of services in PIK residential complexes in the form of restrictions in access to cable inputs to homes by persons outside the PIK group of companies,” the antimonopoly authority explained. The FAS is conducting an inspection in connection with the restriction of access of operators to the infrastructure for placing communication networks in PIK homes. Administrative cases have been initiated for violation of antimonopoly legislation.

In the spring of last year, the FAS said that residents of houses of the PIK group in Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region can connect only to Lovit. The agency requested data from 11 Internet providers, including Rostelecom, VimpelCom, MegaFon, and housing inspections in 13 regions.

The inspection began after a large-scale DDoS attack on Lovit, which left thousands of people without access to the Internet, pay TV and the smart home system.

The PIK denied accusations of restricting access of Internet providers to residential complexes. “At least 20 ISPs operate in residential areas of PIK, while in some quarters the Lovit provider is not represented,” the developer said.