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Megafon totals subscriber base to 42.32Mn, adds maximum subscribers in Oct (Russia)

  • November 20th, 2008
  • 10:52 am

Megafon continues to grow in the Russian mobile market in the month of October by adding 960,894 new subscribers. Megafon, country’s third largest operator, is competing closely with Vimpelcom, which stood at 45.88 million, 31.7% of total net addition. Megafon’s net additions counts to 38.7% share of Russia’s total net additions and totalled its subscriber base to 42.32 million. MTS lagged behind its rivals in terms of new additions, claiming just 19.4% with a subscriber base of 62.36 million in October, causing a threat to its number one position. Russia ended October with just over 182 million mobile subscribers, up from 179.54 million at the end of September.
   

Two biggies, Vodafone & MTS ink service exchange deal

  • October 30th, 2008
  • 10:32 am

The world’s biggest mobile phone giant, Vodafone and the largest mobile operator in Russia, MTS has inked a strategic, non-equity deal to share access to each other’s products and services. MTS would have exclusive access to Vodafone’s products and services and use its expertise in building third generation (3G) networks and mobile broadband products, the firm said. MTS is home to 87 million subscribers.
Vodafone’s Chif Executive, Vittorio Colao said, “Our agreement with MTS is an opportunity for Vodafone to build its presence and work with the leading operator in these important markets.” “By combining the geographical reach of the company’s respective networks, we can give customers greater roaming capabilities and extended coverage,” Colao added.

MTS and MegaFon recieve approval to buy SMARTS (Russia)

  • October 20th, 2008
  • 5:14 am

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service approves MTS’ and MegaFon’s request to acquire Russia telecom company SMARTS. The anti trust watchdog has also set some structural requirements for the SMARTS’ would-be buyers.
For the following acquisition the requests were filed by MegaFon and MTS on September 5 and mid-August respectively.
   

Russia’s mobile penetration reaches 123.7%

  • October 20th, 2008
  • 5:11 am

Russia’s mobile subscriber base reaches to 179.54m SIM cards in September, a rise of 1.26% since August. The subscriber base of the leading Russian mobile operator reached 91.731m SIM cards, experiencing a rise of 0.38%, whereas Vimpelcom totalled it’s base to 57.732m, an expansion of 2.04%, followed by MegaFon with 41.549m SIM cards, a rise of 1.95%.
The Russian mobile penetration reached 123.7% as on September-end.

   

MTS joins Mobile Marketing Association (Russia)

  • October 20th, 2008
  • 4:50 am

MTS, Russia’s leading mobile operator, has become the first Russian firm to join the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). “By joining the Mobile Marketing Association, MTS will reinforce its ability to partner and gain experience from the leading mobile marketing and advertising companies from around the world. The Company plans to collaborate with leading global experts to develop innovative mobile marketing solutions for the Russian and the CIS markets.” MTS reports.
“MTS is actively developing mobile marketing and advertising solutions, and we recently launched several pilot projects,” said Mr. Asad Kondakji, Product Development Director at MTS. “A host of potential venues exist for the development of mobile marketing offerings, including our WAP portal, mobile games and location-based services. We are confident that our membership in the leading international association will allow us to bring the best of international experience and help further develop mobile marketing in our markets of operation.”

   

Comstar promotes MTS mobile products (Russia)

  • October 9th, 2008
  • 5:12 am

A co-marketing initiative is instigated by Comstar UTS (Russian wireline telco) with mobile sister company MTS under which MTS packages will be sold in Comstar retail outlets. Along with the Comstar’s broadband internet products, Fixed line and mobile services are also being marketed, offered under the same stream. According to Comstar’s Vice President, Sergey Nazarov, ‘For any telecom operator the most important thing is user convenience. Such integrated campaigns contribute to subscriber loyalty making communication with the operator more comfortable and services more attractive.’

MTS brings 3G to Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan)

  • October 7th, 2008
  • 6:55 am

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (MTS), the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS, announces the launch of a test zone of its UMTS (3G) network in Uzbekistan and technical readiness for commercial launch in late 2008.
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, became the first city in the region where MTS launched its next-generation network. The Company plans to cover the entire city and to announce the commercial launch by the end of the year. Additional cities will be launched in 2009, including Samarkand, Bukhara, and Andijan.
Huawei Technologies, a world-leading telecom solutions provider, was selected by MTS to provide 3G equipment, as well as technical support and employee training.”MTS is the leading mobile operator in Uzbekistan and plays a key role in the development of the country’s telecommunications market. With the launch of our 3G network, we will bring the most innovative mobile products and services to our subscribers along with the high quality of customer service,” said Mr. Bekhzod Akhmedov, Head of MTS Uzbekistan. “Given the low penetration level of fixed internet connections, we see great prospects for growth by delivering mobile broadband solutions through our 3G network.”
Development of UMTS networks is a cornerstone of MTS’ strategy to provide mobile broadband in the CIS. As these markets demonstrate relatively low levels of fixed-line penetration and historic underinvestment in infrastructure, MTS views its networks as an ideal vehicle to meet the growing broadband Internet needs of its subscribers through attractive data products and services.
MTS launched its first 3G network in Russia in May 2008 and plans to launch the network in Armenia in early 2009. MTS is currently operating a CDMA-450 network in Ukraine to provide high-speed data access for its clients.

About MTS

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (”MTS”) is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company services over 87.26 million subscribers. The regions of Russia, as well as Armenia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, in which MTS and its associates and subsidiaries are licensed to provide GSM services, have a total population of more than 230 million. Since June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about MTS can be found on MTS’ website at http://www.mtsgsm.com.

About Wireless Federation

Wireless Federation is an industry research conglomerate headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The mandate of the Wireless Federation is to provide its members and customers industry knowledge that can further enhance their understanding of the wireless industry. Wireless Federation conducts bespoke research and produces boxed reports in collabaration with Industry Bodies, Telecom Operators for Issues that revolve around ARPU, CHURN and Loyalty.
They have been associated with more than 225 mobile operators globally to set their Pricing/ Tariff Strategies, Go-To-Market Strategies for Mobile Advertising, Mobile Payments, Cutting VAS among others amongst 59 countries globally.

For more information you can log on to www.wirelessfederation.com

   

MTS discloses pricing details for iPhone 3G (Russia)

  • October 3rd, 2008
  • 10:01 am

Russia and CIS mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) launches iPhone 3G in Russia on October 3. MTS will be going vend iPhone 3G in more than 1,400 MTS-branded retail stores, as well as through dealer networks. iPhone 3G will be avaliable for :

8 GB - RUR 23,000
16 GB - RUR 27,000

MTS customers can choose from existing and iPhone-tailored tariff plans that combine voice and unlimited data packages with prices starting at RUR 1,490 per month. Moreover Customers can buy iPhone 3G in installment for a RUR 5,990 as an initial payement which is followed by 12 monthly payments.

MegaFon shows interest in SMARTS Group (Russia)

  • October 2nd, 2008
  • 5:15 am

MegaFon, one of Russia’s third largest mobile operator by subscribers, files for regulatory approval for purchase of rival SMARTS Group. There are other firms also chasing the SMARTS deal, including MTS.

   

iPhone sales in Russia will start from Oct 3 (Russia)

  • September 29th, 2008
  • 6:28 am

iPhone will home Russia on October 3 and it is anticipated that 150,000 units could be sold by the year end. Nadezhda Senyuk, a PR director at retail chain Tekhnosila, said, all retailers will begin sales of iPhone in Russia at the same time, during the night between October 2 and October 3.

8 gigabytes-22,999 roubles ($923.6)
16 gigabytes - 26,999 roubles ($1,084)

Russian mobile phone operator will charge the same price for the iPhone, without a contract. MTS, Vimpelcom and MegaFon are now taking advance orders as they have earlier reached a distribution deal with Apple.