Alpha Com is going to switch Stereo Plus signal from TV tower since, according to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC), Stereo Plus disobeyed the warning and Channel 9 is still available through metric frequency.

“The Commission has already sent a letter including a relevant request to Alpha Com,” said Khatia Kurashvili, head of GNCC’s press secretary. The letter will be delivered to the company and the signal will be off upon delivery.

On June 6 GNCC imposed a fine of GEL 5,000 on Stereo Plus for an illegal application of radio frequencies. Together with the fine GNCC issued Stereo Plus a warning on switching the Channel 9 signal off until 14:00 hrs, June 7. Unless Stereo Plus disconnected Channel 9 the TV tower managing company Alpha Com was entitled to switch its signal off from the tower, following the order issued by the Commission.

GNCC reached the given decision since the Channel 9 signal was available through metric channel via Stereo Plus which enabled terrestrial broadcasting in Tbilisi while the latter is holding the license for satellite, cable and radio-frequency spectrum only. Stereo Plus is conducting terrestrial broadcasting while the license it holds does not imply this kind of broadcasting.

David Zilpimiani, the founder of Stereo Plus says the GNCC decision is incompetent and absurd and he is not going to fulfill the decision since, he believes, he acted within the rights granted according to the license. David Zilpimiani is planning to appeal the GNCC decision in Georgian and European courts.

The Channel 9’s Director Kakha Bekauri too disapproves the GNCC decision.