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ComCom Member Vakhtang Abashidze Opens International Consumer Protection Week
Member of the Communications Commission Vakhtang Abashidze, together with the heads of fellow regulatory bodies, opened the Fourth International Consumer Protection Week. Within the framework of the event, he reviewed the current situation regarding consumer rights protection in the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, as well as key projects implemented by ComCom. The event was also attended by ComCom member Ekaterine Imedadze and the Telecommunications Ombudsman Gvantsa Chkheidze. The Fourth International Consumer Protection Week is organised by the Competition and Consumer Protection Agency of Georgia, with the support of ComCom, the National Bank of Georgia, the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia, the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC), and the National Food Agency of Georgia. The event is being held in Tbilisi and various regions across Georgia.
Opening speeches at the event were delivered by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, David Songulashvili, and the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Mikheil Sarjveladze, as well as deputy ministers from the Ministries of Education, Science and Youth, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance.
During his speech, Vakhtang Abashidze summarised the trends in the telecommunications market and highlighted the growth in mobile subscribers, mobile internet services, and internet consumption. According to him, the number of mobile service subscribers reached 6.4 million by the end of 2025. Among them, Magticom accounted for 2.6 million subscribers, Silknet for 2.3 million, and Cellfie Mobile for 1.5 million. He also noted that the number of mobile internet users reached 5.1 million, with Magticom accounting for 1.95 million users, Silknet for 1.80 million, and Cellfie Mobile for 1.37 million. With regards to mobile internet consumption, Mr. Abashidze stated that the average monthly data usage per person had reached nearly 16 GB, and this figure continues to grow annually. While reviewing the trends, the commissioner also discussed fixed internet services, noting that according to the latest data, 1,208,000 subscribers use fixed internet, covering 97% of households.
In addition, Vakhtang Abashidze provided an overview of ComCom’s digital platforms, which allow consumers to check the quality of fixed internet services 24/7 and contact the Commission in case of problems.
During the event, the commissioner spoke about the State Internetization Project, noting that since the launch of the project, the company Open Net, with ComCom’s support, has already built a 3,000 km optical backbone network, providing internet access to approximately 260,000 residents. Mr. Abashidze also highlighted ComCom’s Digital Support Programme: “The aim of the programme is to increase digital awareness among people living in rural areas, teach them how to use the internet purposefully, and encourage their participation in the digital economy. Since the launch of the project, nearly 800 seminars have been held, and more than 10,000 beneficiaries have already been trained free of charge.”
In his speech, Vakhtang Abashidze also discussed the protection of viewers’ rights and the role of the Commission as a regulator in this process: “Today, our country has media pluralism, freedom of speech, and more than 100 television channels, including 21 national broadcasters. Media diversity and pluralism have also created new challenges, such as disinformation, fake news, and violations of the principles of fact, opinion, impartiality, and fairness, which negatively affect viewers. The Commission exists precisely to protect the best interests of viewers,” Mr. Abashidze stated, emphasising that to address these challenges, the Commission already operates under a fully EU-aligned legislation.
“The goal of the Commission is for the media to comply with the law and the fundamental standards of journalism, which meet the basic principles of accuracy, fairness and impartiality, so that viewers’ interests are protected and they have the opportunity to make informed choices, which is essential for every citizen, as well as for the development of our country,” Mr. Abashidze noted.
Within the framework of the event, a discussion was also held on the standards, results, and challenges related to consumer protection. The Telecommunications Ombudsman, Gvantsa Chkheidze, took part in the discussion and presented the 2025 activity report and complaint statistics of the Public Defender Service for Consumer Interests in Telecommunications. Gvantsa Chkheidze also highlighted the 160 informational meetings held last year, noting that these activities have had a direct impact on the increased number of consumer inquiries and complaints.
