Mobile Content Russia

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, has recently announced its decision to work with Nokia Siemens networks on a turnkey security application that seeks to ensure secure internet browsing for its subscribers in both GSM and 3G networks. This application is expected to be fully operational by mid 2009.

Along with its subsidiaries, MTS has a subscriber base of over 91.77 million customers. The circles wherein MTS are licensed operators have a total population of over 230 million. The security solution provided to MTS is expected to sieve through general packet radio service (GPRS) and 3G traffic on the roaming interface, and in the process effectively guarding the MTS network from hackers and security breaches.

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) announced that it will webcast its conference call on its fourth quarter and audited annual 2008 financial and operating results on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. Moscow time (10:30 a.m. ET).

The conference call will be hosted by Boris Nemsic, Chief Executive Officer, and Alexander Torbakhov, General Director. They will be joined by Elena Shmatova, Chief Financial Officer, Kent McNeley, Chief Marketing Officer, Andrey Patoka, Head of B2B Business Unit and Dmitry Pleskonos, Head of CIS Business Development.

On April, 23 Russian mobile phone retailer Euroset announced the appointment of Alexander Malis to the position of President and CEO of Euroset company. Formerly Malis held the post of Director of Broadband Access Development unit in VimpelCom.

Euroset has 5.1 thousand stores in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belorussia, Moldavia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Company's turnover for 2007 was $5.6 billion, revenue – $3.144 billion. In September 2008 businessman Alexander Mamut bought 100% of the company for $1.25 billion with a debt, which at that time was $850 millions. Later Mamut sold 49.9% of Euroset to VimpelCom for $226 million with an option to buy 25% more.

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) announced that its Beeline brand was included in the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking and was named as one of the world's 10 most valuable telecom brands. The Beeline brand ranked no. 72, with an estimated brand value of $8.9 billion. Beeline showed the highest brand contribution index of any brand on the Russian market, demonstrating the brand's effectiveness in driving business earnings.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, announced that it has been named as one of the BRANDZв„ў Top 100 Most Powerful Brands, a ranking published by the Financial Times and Millward Brown, a leading global market research and consulting firm. For the second year in a row, MTS joins the ranks of the most powerful brands in the world with a value of $9.2 billion at the 71st position. As in 2008, MTS is the most valuable Russian brand in the ranking and one of the 10 most valuable telecoms brands in the world.

MTS brand has risen 18 spots to become the 71st most powerful brand globally with a value of $9.2 billion, up from $8.1 billion in 2008. The unequivocal growth in brand value over the year is primarily due to the Company's continued execution on its corporate strategy, strong growth and its leadership positions in the Russian and CIS markets.

A leading Russian mobile game developer HeroРЎraft today announces the initiation of a strategic partnership with mobile content retail specialist End2End. HeroCraft's substantial catalogue of games will be available to End2End for launch across their range of managed carrier portals worldwide.

Sales and Marketing Director for HeroCraft Alexey Sazonov commented: «This is yet another important relationship for us to increase our distribution network with carriers globally. End2End have a fantastic working relationship with a great number of high profile carrier networks and we hope to bring HeroCraft's unique brand of mobile gameplay to as many new consumers as possible» before adding «we continue to look for new distribution opportunities and have found an increased interest in our games in light of our recent success with multi-award winning titles Postal Babes в„ў, High Speed 3D and Eurofighter.»

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, plans to begin selling BlackBerry phones to individuals in the country within two weeks as communications companies compete for wealthy customers.

«It's a niche solution, oriented toward the high-value segment that is interested in innovations and wants mobile e- mail,» Irina Osadchaya, a spokeswoman for the Moscow-based company, said today. «We want to bolster their loyalty.» The BlackBerry, which can send e-mail and surf the Web, is made by Canadian company Research In Motion Ltd., based in Waterloo, Ontario.

MTS, the largest mobile network operator in Russia and the CIS, announces that it has acquired a 100% stake in Eldorado Centre LLC and Eldorado Communications Store LLC from Tenteco Limited (Cyprus) and Kilcherex Holdings Limited (Cyprus).

MTS has acquired a 100% stake in the Eldorado mobile phone retail chain for $22.85 million of which $5 million will be paid after 12 months should the retail chain satisfy certain performance criteria.

Russian backed Indian mobile network operator, Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL) has launched its CDMA network Tamil Nadu, Chennai and Pondicherry, under the MTS brand. The company outlined plans for a US$5 billion investment over the next five years, and expects to list on the local stock-exchange by the end of next year.

The firm is controlled by Russia's Sistema, which has built up a 73 percent stake in the Indian operator. Sistema also controls the Russian and CIS operator, MTS and licensed the brand to be used in India last year.

MTS (Mobile TeleSystems) announces its consolidated US GAAP financial results for the three months (unaudited) and full year ended December 31, 2008.

Consolidated revenues up 24.2% y-o-y to $10,245 million due to subscriber growth and increasing contribution from voice and data usage Consolidated OIBDA up 21.7% to $5,140 million y-o-y with 50.2% OIBDA margin due to continued revenue growth and cost control Consolidated net income down 6.8% y-o-y to $1,930 million due to non-cash FOREX loss through US GAAP translation of US dollar-denominated debt Free cash-flow positive with $2,148 million for the full year 2008 due to the overall revenue growth of the Group

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