Armenia’s economic court starts considering claim against Armentel, Vympelcom
08.11.2007,
03:36
The RA Economic Court has started considering a claim lodged by the Bi Line IT-Company against the ArmenTel and Vympelcom telecommunication companies.
YEREVAN, November 7. /ARKA/. The RA Economic Court has started considering a claim lodged by the Bi Line IT-Company against the ArmenTel and Vympelcom telecommunication companies.
The Armenian company claims that the aforementioned companies are using a brand consonant, in Russian and Armenian pronunciation, to the brand registered by the RA Agency for Intellectual Property and owned by the Armenian company.
The Bi Line Company launched its activities in Armenia in 1996 and has been cooperating with such well-known companies as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and the use of a brand consonant to the Bi Line brand by other companies affects the company’s reputation, said Hayk Harutyunyan, the representative of the company.
According to him, in 1996 the company got its brand registered, with the brand written in Armenian letters. After the Russian Vympelcom Company entered Armenia’s market and purchased ArmenTel, it wished to get its brand, Bee Line, registered, with the brand written in Russian letter.
“This name is actually consonant to the brand of the Armenian company. The negotiations did not produce any positive results,” Harutyunyan said.
The Armenian company claims that the Vympelcom Company, represented by its daughter company, is violating the Bi Line Company’s right to intellectual property by using the Bee Line brand (consonant to Bi Line in the Russia and Armenian languages) in Internet domains, ad booklets, TV and radio advertising and even in voice messages during the connection to the client service center.
On his part, the representative of the Russian company, lawyer Armen Ter-Tachatyan claims that the Appeal Council of the Agency for Intellectual Property permitted the use of the Bee Line brand in Armenia in provided the entire range of services except for Internet services.
The lawyer added that the Council’s decision is not in effect because the Armenian Bi Line Company lodged a claim. To make a final decision the Council intends to hold a meeting on November 30.
This is the first problem of this kind facing Russian mobile operators in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russian lawyers believe that Vympelcom stands a small chance to get its brand registered in Armenia by law.
The managing partner of Stas Marketing Partners (Russia) Andrey Stas believes that the owners of the Armenian brand Bi Line can demand 5% to 10% of Vympelcom’s proceeds from the use of the consonant brand in Armenia.
Iks-Consulting (Russia) estimates ArmenTel’s proceeds from mobile communication services in 2006 at $90mln.Thus, the use of a consonant brand by Vympelcom will cost $4.5-$9mln.
Vympelcom (Bee Line brand) is a transnational company working in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Georgia. It has a total of 54mln subscribers. The company’s principal stockholders are Alfa Group (Russia), and Telenor (Norway). The company’s shares have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange for ten years. In April 2007, Vympelcom purchased the ArmenTel Company. –0--
The Armenian company claims that the aforementioned companies are using a brand consonant, in Russian and Armenian pronunciation, to the brand registered by the RA Agency for Intellectual Property and owned by the Armenian company.
The Bi Line Company launched its activities in Armenia in 1996 and has been cooperating with such well-known companies as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and the use of a brand consonant to the Bi Line brand by other companies affects the company’s reputation, said Hayk Harutyunyan, the representative of the company.
According to him, in 1996 the company got its brand registered, with the brand written in Armenian letters. After the Russian Vympelcom Company entered Armenia’s market and purchased ArmenTel, it wished to get its brand, Bee Line, registered, with the brand written in Russian letter.
“This name is actually consonant to the brand of the Armenian company. The negotiations did not produce any positive results,” Harutyunyan said.
The Armenian company claims that the Vympelcom Company, represented by its daughter company, is violating the Bi Line Company’s right to intellectual property by using the Bee Line brand (consonant to Bi Line in the Russia and Armenian languages) in Internet domains, ad booklets, TV and radio advertising and even in voice messages during the connection to the client service center.
On his part, the representative of the Russian company, lawyer Armen Ter-Tachatyan claims that the Appeal Council of the Agency for Intellectual Property permitted the use of the Bee Line brand in Armenia in provided the entire range of services except for Internet services.
The lawyer added that the Council’s decision is not in effect because the Armenian Bi Line Company lodged a claim. To make a final decision the Council intends to hold a meeting on November 30.
This is the first problem of this kind facing Russian mobile operators in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russian lawyers believe that Vympelcom stands a small chance to get its brand registered in Armenia by law.
The managing partner of Stas Marketing Partners (Russia) Andrey Stas believes that the owners of the Armenian brand Bi Line can demand 5% to 10% of Vympelcom’s proceeds from the use of the consonant brand in Armenia.
Iks-Consulting (Russia) estimates ArmenTel’s proceeds from mobile communication services in 2006 at $90mln.Thus, the use of a consonant brand by Vympelcom will cost $4.5-$9mln.
Vympelcom (Bee Line brand) is a transnational company working in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Georgia. It has a total of 54mln subscribers. The company’s principal stockholders are Alfa Group (Russia), and Telenor (Norway). The company’s shares have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange for ten years. In April 2007, Vympelcom purchased the ArmenTel Company. –0--
