Mobile Content Russia

J'son & Partners Consulting presents the key results of conducted research includes analysis of current situation and regions (America, Europe and Asia), a detailed review of mobile the further market development. The research contains the analysis of such mobile VAS as SMS, transfer, mobile commerce, mobile marketing and mobile TV.

Size and structure of Russian mobile VAS market

J'son & Partners Consulting estimates the volume of the mobile VAS market in Russia at 94 bln RUR (3.8 bln USD) in 2008, and at 55 bln RUR ($1.681 bln; at average currency rate 32,71 rubles per 1 US dollar) in the 1st half of 2009.

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) published the rating of content-providers for June 2009. Top-20 is based on total fee paid to companies by VimpelCom for providing services via partner programs (voice, SMS, WAP). Top 5 companies in the rating are A1, i-Free, Zed Russia, IncoreMedia and Neva Line.

1. A1
2. i-Free
3. Zed Russia (INFON)
4. IncoreMedia
5. Neva Line
6. SMS Online
7. Next Media Channels (Next Media Group)
8. Iricom
9. Plastic Media
10. Inform-Mobil/IMMO

Inform-Mobil/IMMO has published Top 10 rating of the best-selling Java games for mobile phones and smartphones in Russia in May 2009. As source data for the analysis the company used statistics of mobile games sales through all its distribution channels in Russia during May 2009.

Top three games in the rating are «X-Men Origins: Wolverine», «Monsters vs. Aliens» and «Madagascar 2».

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) published the rating of content-providers for May 2009. Top-20 is based on total fee paid to companies by VimpelCom for providing services via partner programs (voice, SMS, WAP). Top 5 companies in the rating are A1, i-Free, Zed Russia, IncoreMedia and Neva Line.

1. A1
2. i-Free
3. Zed Russia (former INFON)
4. IncoreMedia
5. Neva Line
6. Iricom
7. Next Media Channels
8. Plastic Media
9. SMS Online
10. Inform-Mobil/IMMO

Inform-Mobil/IMMO has published Top 10 rating of the best-selling Java games for mobile phones and smartphones in Russia in April 2009. As source data for the analysis the company used statistics of mobile games sales through all its distribution channels in Russia during April 2009.

Top three games in the rating are «Monsters vs. Aliens», «Madagascar 2», «Watchmen: The Mobile Game», all of them by Glu Mobile.

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) (which operates under the Beeline trademark) published the rating of content-providers for April 2009. Top-20 is based on total fee paid to companies by VimpelCom for providing services via partner programs (voice, SMS, WAP). Top 5 companies in the rating are A1, INFON, i-Free, Neva Line and IncoreMedia.

1. A1
2. Zed Russia (former INFON)
3. i-Free
4. Neva Line
5. IncoreMedia
6. Iricom
7. Inform-Mobil/IMMO
8. Next Media Channels
9. Plastic Media
10. SMS Online

Fitch Ratings has changed the Outlooks on Russian mobile network operator, MegaFon's Long-term Issuer Default rating (IDR) and National Long-term rating to Positive from Stable. The change reflects Fitch's expectations that Megafon shareholders will ultimately be able to put in place a sustainable dividend policy that will be consistent with the company's creditworthiness.

At the same time, Fitch has affirmed the Long-term IDR and senior unsecured rating at 'BB+', the Short-term IDR at 'B' and National Long-term rating at 'AA(rus)'. MegaFon's US$375m eurobond due in December 2009, which is guaranteed by Megafon, is affirmed at 'BB+'.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, is eyeing possible acquisitions in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, its Chief Executive Officer, Mikhail Shamolin said in an interview with the Reuters news agency.

"There are two countries (where) we are not present yet and I believe we should be present, which is Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan," Shamolin told Reuters Financial Television on the sidelines of St Petersburg Economic Forum. He said that the company was not holding specific talks with any Kazakh or Azeri firms.

As estimated by consulting company AC&M Consulting, gross revenue of Russian mobile value added services market in the first quarter 2009 reached 856.2 million US dollars (29041.7 million roubles). In the fourth quarter 2008 revenue was 994.9 mln dollars (27124.7 mln. roubles). In roubles the revenue grew since 4Q08 by 7.1%, but in dollars it decreased in 1Q09 by 13.9%.

Mobile VAS ARPU in the fourth quarter fell to 1.5 dollars from 1.8 dollars in 4Q08. In roubles ARPU grew by 6.7% from 47.9 roubles in 4Q08 to 51.1 roubles in 1Q09.

Mobile VAS share in the general revenue of operators in 1Q09 increased up to 17.7% from 15.1% in 4Q08.

Mobile content giant Zed has paid more than $5 million for a «50 percent plus 1» share in Temafon, a Russian mobile content aggregation service and part of Tema Mobile Media, according to Russian business newspaper Vedomosti, citing two unnamed sources «close to the deal». A Zed spokesperson confirmed the purchase but declined to disclose the financial terms of the acquisition. Temafon is the exclusive aggregator of Russian-based mobile content to Beeline, the carrier brand of VimpelCom, the country's second largest network, which owns an indirect minority share in the aggregator.

The purchase strengthens Zed's position in the Russian mobile content market, where it already owns Infon, a local mobile content provider, through its acquisition of Monstemob.