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numbers, our investmentsin 2010 appear higher thanin 2009. When it comes toEBITDA, this concept is notassociated with an investmentin fact; it is an indicator thatshows the difference betweenincome and expenditure. Ourmain aim in 2010 was to bethe operator the profitabilityof which increases at fastestpace. We achieved this aim.In this sense, we are ahead ofother operators. We are theoperator that has the highestvalue in terms of ARPU. Whenwe look at the last quarter,figures are very promising.Avea increased its marketshare in the fourth quarter.The number of its subscribersincreases around 200thousand. There is also aserious increase in ARPU.It has reached to 19,1. Weclosed the year 2010 withsuccessful figures and we cansay that 2010 was a successfulyear for us. We see a satisfactoryincrease at average levelin terms of income. Now, wehave focused on our 2011goals.TT - The number of subscribersof three operators is approximatelycertain. Only transitionsfrom one operator tothe other take place becauseof campaigns. What kinds ofplans do you have in order toincrease revenues?EA - Considering the externaldynamics of the market, youranalysis is accurate. In termsof penetration, i.e. the numberof mobile line or SIM card per100 people we have reacheda saturation as it seems. ButI think this is a temporaryplateau... This ratio may beincrease especially in the lastperiod of this year. After all,when we look at Europeancountries or similar countries,a similar growth trendis continuing. These countriesexperienced the same periodbefore. Asymmetry between“onnet-offnet” tariffs has beenremoved after the numberportability. They went throughthis period earlier. We expectthe same growth trend experiencedin those markets.But since thisratedecreased for two years, itis apparent that we need acorrection factor elsewhere.One of the biggest reasonsis the thick armor shrinking,narrowing and restricting themarket. I mean the tax. Whenit is disappeared or decreased,market will enter into a rapidgrowth trend.TT - Vodafone is an internationalcompany; Turkcell alsobegan operation in Germany.Do you have a plan such asoverseas expansion of Avea inthe future?EA - Our current priority isTürkiye. This trend adoptedby our competitors is in factbetter for us in this respect.Türkiye is our priority, but wecan consider cooperation withdifferent operators in differentgeographies.TT - When we look at your advertisingcampaigns, you givevery ironic messages to youropponents. Finally, “ConsumerRights” is high on the agendaamong operators. What kindsof rights do you offer as Avea?EA - We also tell our ad that“Actions speak louder thanwords.” We canprepare aWe are theoperator that has thehighest value in termsof ARPU. When we lookat the last quarter,figures are verypromising.500-page book and tellthe customer what kinds ofrights and services we provide.I want to leave the legalprocess between the othertwo operators on this issue toconsumers. I think consumersare not interested in thisdebate. But when we look atthe picture closely, it showsthat Avea is much better thanothers and at a very differentplace in terms of providing abenefit to the customers andtaking sides with them. We donot want to enter into such ameaningless fight. If we makean econometric analysis, in amarket with an oligopoly oftwo operators in the absenceof Avea, the price level offeredby these two operators as wellas the benefit and servicesprovided by them have totallychanged after Avea’s entranceto the market. Avea disruptedthe oligopoly of them andactually changed and shapedthe market with its price leveland leading role. This situationis more important thanConstitution or declaration.Moreover, I think it is notvery accurate to put forwardthe issues demanded by theregulatory authority as if yourown initiative.TT - You as Avea think youmake an important contributionto the creation ofconditions of competition inthe market and the formationof prices for the benefit ofconsumers…EA - Absolutely, this topic isvery clear... When Avea enteredto the market, there wasalmost an agreement on theinterconnection fee betweenthese two operators and therewas no regulation. When youcompare the average pricesper minute at that time andthe prices of today, you cansee the effect of Avea moreclearly. Not just the price level,but also in terms of innovativeservices… Intra-group advantages,group tariffs or differentapproaches towards certainsegments were all brought byAvea to the market. Moreover,we are the operator that takesinitiative in terms of callingother operator under the conceptof “liberty”.TT - Last year, at a meetingabout interconnection fees,you said that interconnectionfees could be even lower. Butother operators expressedtheir dissatisfaction often andsaid that their profits are affected.What is your opinionon this subject?EA - We can be at a marginallevel, close to zero atinterconnection fees. In fact,the structure in developedcountries goes in this direction.Many countries such as Britainand Germany announced it28 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jun - 14Jul 2011