NCN has checked the users

“Natsionalnye Kabelnye Seti (National Cable Networks)” OJSC (NCN) decided to employ unconventional methods in discovering non-permitted connections to cable networks. The company included payment for cable TV services into the unified payment document (UPD) along with other utility services.

Former and current users of NCN informed ComNews of this fact. One of ComNews interlocutors, who had ceased being a client of this operator two full years ago, said that he had received a letter from NCN informing that a position “antenna”, priced at 125 roubles per month, had been included in the utilities’ payment (ComNews has a copy of the document). The letter stated: “If you do not wish to use the cable television service provided by NCN CJSC, you should send a written request to disconnect the client’s bend in order to disconnect the respective network”.

Tatiana Levkina, Commercial Director of NCN, explained to the ComNews reporter that NCN was inspecting the client’s bends to discover non-permitted network connections. She said: “Client’s bends in houses and porches are usually easily accessible, and our former clients, who were disconnected from the network of their own wish and request, frequently connect to the bends. In any case, information letters, which the citizens will receive once the inspection is concluded, should settle the matter”.

According to T.Levkina’s words, if a person does not wish to use the cable TV service, he may write a request to disconnect the client’s bend, and specialists will proceed to disconnect the flat from the network. The communications operator does not inspect the client’s bends alone, but together with managing companies (Unified Client’s Directories, condominiums, etc). The act of the inspection’s results is also signed by authorized employees of the managing company, who represent the interests of the residents.

T.Levkina added: “And regarding the UPD – this payment document lists utility services and other payments. NCN antenna may be classified as “other services” on the base of our company’s agreements with the Unified Information and Billing Center. We also have client’s agreements, which stipulate payment for the service by UPD. Furthermore, the agreements fix issuing of a separate invoice if a client, who wishes to receive our company’s service, for instance, does not want to pay for it by UPD”.

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Olga Yakimova, Lawyer at the Firm, is of the following opinion. Connection of cable organization to a common antenna requires permission from a general owners’ meeting, otherwise the network may be disconnected on demand of any owner. O.Yakimova explained to the ComNews reporter: “Therefore, it is necessary to examine the agreement executed with the managing company on the issues of utilities’ payments, installing antennae, changing tariffs. Often cable organizations connecto to common networks of the owners without permission and fix respective tariffs”.

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