MTS nearing 50 mln customers in Russia
Mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) ended September with a consolidated customer base of 67.59 million customers, up from 50.36 million in September last year. In Russia, the company had 49.99 million customers, up 28.6 percent from 38.87 million in September last year. In the Moscow region the company had 11 million customers, up from 9.67 million in the same period in 2005. In the St Petersburg and Leningrad region, MTS saw its subscriber base hit 2.69 million, up 16.1 percent year-on-year.In Ukraine MTS’ customer base reached 16.36 million, up almost 50 percent from 10.94 in September 2005. In Uzbekistan MTS ended the month with 1.09 million customers, compared with 490,000 in 2005. The company had 140,000 customers in Turkmenistan, up 140.4 percent from last year’s 60,000 subscribers. MTS Belarus, in which MTS has a 49 percent stake, had 2.89 million customers, up 56.2 percent from 1.85 million in September 2005.
Source- http://www.telecompaper.com
Alfa wants more say
Russia’s Alfa Group says it wants to increase its stake in the country’s second largest cellular operator so that it can gain more control at board level. Alfa plans to increase its share of VimpelCom Type A voting stock from 32.9% to 35.8%. While Dow Jones reports that this will not give Alfa more seats on the board, it will gain more votes. A change in Russia’s antitrust laws which is due to be introduced on 26 October is expected to lead to a flurry of activity, with ownership changes made easier. Telenor of Norway is also expected to increase its stake in VimpelCom when the change is implemented, according to Dow Jones. Telenor and Alfa have been vying for control of VimpelCom for some time, with the two shareholders disagreeing over the future of Kyivstar, the cellco’s subsidiary in Ukraine.
Source- http://www.telegeography.com
Telenor Shows VimpelCom the Route to World Markets
Telenor intends to promote VimpelCom outside of CIS, Kjell Morten Johnsen, chief of Russia’s office of Telenor, said Monday, adding that South Asia could be one of the markets. VimpelCom’s biggest holder, Altimo, responded to this effort of Norwegians with clear understanding.
Holder of 26.6 percent in VimpelCom, Telenor is willing to make a world leader out of it, Johnsen made clear yesterday during New Economy, Knowledge and Technology conference held in Moscow. Pakistan could be one of the countries of interest to VimpelCom, according to Johnsen.
Telenor bought a license to render cellular services in Pakistan in the spring of 2004, having paid $291 million for it.
Unexpectedly, another big holder in VimpelCom, Russia’s Altimo (32.9 percent) easily accepted the idea. We have always hailed VimpelCom’s development and its entry into new promising markets. We will be very glad if all holders agree that the company’s advance is the task of priority for any holder,??? commented Altimo Vice President Kirill Babayev.
The market viewed this positive commentary of Altimo as some milestone. Altimo and Telenor have been in conflict since late 2004 exactly because of the world expansion of VimpelCom. Telenor, for instance, opposes VimpelCom’s progress in Ukraine, as it owns the majority stake in Ukrainian Kievstar. As to Altimo, it insists on aggressive activities there. The debates are so heated that the parties are trying to sort things out in different courts.
But the conflict could become less acute once the companies cooperate on the markets where VimpelCom will be no rival to Telenor. This cooperation, the analysts say, may even postpone the asset swap and division of telecom venture of Alfa Group’s subsidiary and Telenor.
Source- http://www.kommersant.com
Golden Telecom Starts Development of the First FMC Network in Ukraine, Which Combines Advantages of Mobile and Fixed-Line Communications
KIEV, UKRAINE–(MARKET WIRE)–Oct 5, 2006 — Golden Telecom, Inc. (“Golden Telecom” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:GLDN – News) today announces the commencement of a Fixed Mobile Convergence (“FMC”) network roll out in Ukraine. The FMC network combines the advantages of fixed-line and mobile communications and will be the first converging communications network in Ukraine.
The convergent network will serve as a powerful and flexible platform to launch new generation communication services. The new possibilities, convenience, and affordability of converging services will benefit the businesses of Golden Telecom FMC network subscribers. By the end of 2006, Golden Telecom will have constructed the core of the FMC network in Kiev and wireless segments of the FMC network in Kiev and Odessa by upgrading its existing GSM-1800 network. Another wireless segment of the FMC network will be deployed by the end of 2006 in the cities in which Golden Telecom is already providing fixed-line communication services: Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Ivano-Frankovsk.
To implement the FMC project, Golden Telecom will partner with Alcatel and Huawei — leading manufacturers of telecommunication equipment. Alcatel will supply a new generation softswitch as well as an intellectual platform upon which the core of the FMC network will be constructed. Huawei will supply a system of base stations, as well as high-speed data transfer equipment required to construct the wireless component of the FMC network.
“Golden Telecom is the only company in Ukraine that is experienced in providing both fixed-line and mobile communication services,” commented Jean-Pierre Vandromme, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Telecom. “This enables us to combine the services of the two networks and to offer unprecedented advantages to consumers. Golden Telecom FMC services will offer reliable high speed broadband Internet access, like in fixed-line communication networks, as well as users’ freedom of movement, like in mobile networks. Convergence of the networks will reduce our clients’ expenses and provide them with interesting new services that we are currently developing together with Alcatel. We expect to offer the first FMC services to the public in first quarter 2007.”
“One of the key factors for success on the Ukrainian market is the ability to offer the required services on a timely basis”, added Andrii Droniuk, General Director of Golden Telecom Ukraine. “We recognized the potential of convergent networks early which means that Golden Telecom will be able to offer these technologically advanced services at the same time or earlier than in other European countries.”
In 2007, Golden Telecom plans to begin offering FMC services in 22 Ukrainian regions.
About “Golden Telecom” (www.goldentelecom.com):
“Golden Telecom, Inc.” (NASDAQ:GLDN – News) is a leading facilities-based provider of integrated telecommunications and Internet services in major population centers throughout Russia and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (“CIS”). The Company offers voice, data and Internet services to corporations, operators and consumers using its overlay network in major cities including Moscow, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Samara, Kaliningrad, Krasnoyarsk, Alma-Ata, and Tashkent, and via intercity fiber optic and satellite-based networks, including approximately 287 combined access points in Russia and other countries of the CIS. The Company offers cellular communication services in Kiev and Odessa.
Statements contained herein are forward-looking and are made in compliance with safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include those on the roll out of the FMC and its expected benefits including the ability to use the FMC as a platform to launch other services, the expected benefits to our customers, the timing for the roll out of the FMC and our partners for the project. It should be borne in mind that these statements are subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the possibility that we will not be able to roll out the FMC in the manner or timeframe, that the FMC will not have the expected benefits for the company or its customers or that we will be able to take advantage of our relationship with our partners. For additional information about the factors that may lead to significant discrepancies between the final results and those predicted in forward-looking statements, please refer to corporate reports submitted to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including 10-Q quarterly and 8-K current reports submitted in 2006, as well as the 10-K annual corporate report for the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2005.
Source- http://biz.yahoo.com
Golden Telecom rolls out FMC network in Ukraine
Russian telecommunications company Golden Telecom has started to deploy a fixed mobile convergence network in the Ukraine. It aims to have built the core of the FMC network in Kiev, and mobile section of the network in Kiev and Odessa by upgrading an existing GSM 1800 network, by end-2006. It will also deploy mobile segments of the network in cities where it already provides fixed-line services: Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Ivano-Frankovsk. Golden Telecom is partnering with Huawei and Alcatel for the project. Alcatel will provide a softswitch and intellectual platform for the network core, while Huawei will provide base stations and data communications equipment. Golden Telecom plans to launch FMC services in 22 Ukranian regions in 2007.
Source- http://www.telecompaper.com
Cooperation agreement between IndiaGames and Touchlink Mobile
HERNING, DENMARK, September 27, 2006 Touchlink Mobile, Danish mobile content developer and publisher, signed a cooperation agreement with Indiagames, leading international developer, publisher and distributor company.
According to this agreement Touchlink Mobile acquires rights on distribution of more than 20 branded mobile games of Indiagames.
Among the hottest games performed by Indiagames are such names as Garfield Day Out, Garfield In Dreamland, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Van Helsing, Predator, Jurassic Park! And this is not even a half of the list that Touchlink Mobile will distribute soon!
World’s most famous brands carefully implemented in mobile games shall bring a great success for both companies and first of all a lot of fun to the audience! At least that what both companies are hoping for.
Touchlink Mobile and Indiagames are laying a good foundation for their hopefully successful and fruitful future cooperation.
About Indiagames
”’Indiagames Ltd.”’ is a leading international developer, publisher and distributor of video games for mobile phones, headquartered in India, with offices in Mumbai, Beijing, London and Los Angeles.
Indiagames develops and publishes games across multiple platforms including Java, BREW, Symbian, I-Mode, and Macromedia Flash Lite. Indiagames employs over 300 people on the development side. In addition to these, there are region specific business development and sales & marketing teams for the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas. These team members come from varied backgrounds ranging from consulting, entertainment and the media, research and telecommunications.
About Touchlink Mobile
”’Touchlink Mobile Aps.”’is Danish mobile content developer and publisher. Founded in year 2003 and headquartered in Herning, Denmark, company developed very dynamically and it has now offices in United States and Slovakia, highly professional development studious located in Kiev and Donetsk, Ukraine, powerful QA Team, creative and skilful Design Team, supported by the effective Sales and Marketing Departments implementing principles of the Scandinavian type of management!
Ukrainian mobile content market worth 30 million
Kiev, August 18, PRIME-TASS. According to a study carried out by ComNews Research, Ukraine’s content services market volume stood at around 30 million dollars in the first six months of 2006, excluding indirect gains from mobile marketing and content sold independently of mobile operators.
Analysts state that the five leading content providers control 48 percent of the market. Jump Ukraine holds the top position for the first half of 2006 with 17%, while the daughter company of Russian provider Inform-mobile comes in second with 12%. The Ukrainian branch of the Russian company Solvo International takes 8%, and Ukrainian content providers Point Com and Dnepr Telecom have 7 and 4 percent respectively.
The success of the top five is mostly attributable to their participation in projects to provide content under mobile operator’s brands or sub brands: Kievstar, Djuice, JEANS, UMC and Beeline.
The Ukrainian daughter companies of Russian market leaders i-Free, Infon and Logoton were in the next five, along with UPT-Mobile and Mobiline Media. Their appearance in the rating highlight trends in the development of the Ukrainian mobile content market. UPT-Mobile specialises in WAP projects and partners with the majority of popular Russian WAP sites. The content provider Mobiline Media is an offspring of ’1+1′, one of Ukraine’s largest TV channels.
ComNews Research analysts predict that providers specialising in WAP projects will see a long-term growth in market share. They also foresee the migration of successful content projects to WAP, conditional to operators opening WAP-CPA. Media projects will also enjoy an increased share, although they are overly tied to competing media such as television and printed publishing, whose ratings are difficult to predict.
The analysts consider the Ukrainian content services market attractive for investment, and expect to find such major Western players as Jamba and Jet Multimedia entering the market in the near future.
Source- http://world.procontent.ru
Technorati : Beeline, Djuice, Dnepr Telecom, JEANS, Kievstar, Mobile, Point Com, Russia, Solvo International, Ukraine
Ice Rocket : Beeline, Djuice, JEANS, Kievstar, Mobile, Russia, Solvo International, Ukraine
MTS group sees net income fall on higher revenues
Russian mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) saw its revenues go up 20.7 percent but net income fall 3 percent in the second quarter. Revenues went up to USD 1.49 billion, from USD 1.24 billion in the year-ago quarter. OIBDA stood at USD 730.3 million, compared with USD 651.6 million in Q2 2005. Net income, however, dropped to USD 294.7 million, from USD 303.9 million last year. The MTS group added 3.05 million new customers during the second quarter to reach a total of 64.10 million. The company’s cash expenditure on property, plant and equipment in the second quarter amounted to USD 372 million, of which approximately USD 243 million was invested in Russia, USD 112 million in Ukraine, USD 15 million in Uzbekistan and USD 2 million in Turkmenistan.
Source- http://www.telecompaper.com
Technorati : MTS, Mobile, Russia, Telecom
Ice Rocket : MTS, Mobile, Russia, Telecom
Russia MTS mobile giant buys 100% in Dutch Mobile TeleSystems
MOSCOW, September 1 (RIA Novosti) – Mobile TeleSystems (RTS: MTSS) has acquired 100% in the Dutch-based Mobile TeleSystems, Russia’s No.1 mobile operator said Friday.
The details of the deal, which was concluded Thursday, were not made available.
MTS, which posted a net profit of $529 million in the first half of 2006, also bought shares in Bermuda-based Mobile TeleSystems Bermuda Limited Wednesday, but no details were disclosed in that deal either.
MTS, whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and on off-exchange markets in Europe, holds operating licenses in 87 regions in Russia, as well as in Belarus, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.
AFK Sistema (RTS: AFKS), one of Russia’s largest diversified corporations, owns a 52.8% share of the company.
Source- http://en.rian.ru
Technorati : MTS, Mobile, Russia
Ice Rocket : MTS, Mobile, Russia
