Minister of transport and communication of Armenia Andranik Manukian the other day issued an order banning increase of the telephone communication fixed tariff from January 2004. As A. Manukian told "Arminfo" agency, there are legal preconditions for that. In his words, the order also demands that telephone monopolist "ArmenTel" company deny information spread earlier that beginning on January 1, 2004 the tariffs for telephone communication will be increased from 4 Armenian drams per minute to 8, and the free conversation time will be limited to 120 minutes instead of the previous 360. "If "ArmenTel" company disobeys, corresponding sanctions will be applied against it," the minister stated.