DUSHANBE, August 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Two Tajik cellular operators – M.Teco and Telecom Inc – are currently on the verge of bankruptcy, Qadamjon Safiyev, the head of Communications Control Regulatory Agency within the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC), said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, closed joint-stock company (CJSC), M.Teco, has to pay a big debt to Tajik Telecom (Tajikistan’s national fixed-line telecommunications network) for using frequencies.  “The trial is currently going on to define the amount of the debt of M.Teco and the mechanism of repaying it,” Safiyev noted.

Telecom Inc, which provides cellular communications under the brand of Sky Tel, is also on the verge of bankruptcy, the MoTC official said.  However, he refrained from giving further details.

Nine cellular operators now function in Tajikistan.

In the meantime, cases of cutoff of cellular communications operators by Tajik Telecom its network became more frequent lately that leads to irregularities in work of communications operators or even to lack of communications.  Private communications operators in Tajikistan also protest state’s proposal to have total control over the country’s satellite connections.  They argue that the MoTC’s proposed “one gate” system will act as a censor and scare away foreign investment.