Latvian company Tet LLC has decided to turn to the State Police, accusing competitor Balticom JSC of various business violations. Last month Tet uncovered intentional damages of the company’s electronic network infrastructure across more than 300 addresses in Ventspils, Tet representatives note.
According to Tet, during a meeting to discuss the situation, Balticom representatives basically admitted to having committed violations. Even after mutual talks Balticom still continues committing new violations. Tet representatives explain that Latvian State Police have been given applications detailing 13 addresses. Soon the company plans to submit applications detailing other uncovered violations.
«Competition in telecommunications sector has always been intense, but this is the first time we’ve experienced such cynical intentional damage of infrastructure of another operator and the threat of action against the recovery of one’s own property,» says Tet customer service director Alla Krūmiņa.
She admits what is happening can be compared to «legal racketeerism of sorts that is aimed at confusing residents in Ventspils».
«We would like to thank representatives of State Police, for whom this process requires a great deal of resources, but who continue reporting to addresses to register violations and ensure compliance with the law,» says Krūmiņa.
Tet representatives explain that Balticom’s actions cause the police to waster resources and residents to suffer from service disruptions. Considering the aforementioned, for residents to continue receiving services, the illegally used cables have to be removed.
According to results of Tet’s performed network survey, Balticom illegally uses part of Tet infrastructure to provide its own internet services.
The last section of Tet-owned optic internet cable is cut in the stairwell of apartment houses and the end is attached to Balticom network. By doing this, Balticom illegally uses property owned by Tet for its own commercial goals.
«By terminating uncoordinated and illegal use of infrastructure and restoring Tet network’s previous state, residents are at risk of being left without one of the modern basic needs [internet access], which is highly important for remote work and studies,» Tet representatives say, adding that Balticom organises provision of its services in an illegal manner, receiving relevant wholesale services without permission and without paying for them.
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