Mobile Content Russia

Kazakhstan cellular carrier KaR-Tel (part of VimpelCom, which operates under the Beeline trademark) has launched RBT-advertisement service named InfoTone for its subscribers. The service provides a sound file containing advertising information with musical background or subscriber's company anthem set instead of the standard tone by company workers for advertising purposes. Control and interface of the offered service is the same as in RBT-service FunTone available to all Beeline subscribers.

KaR-Tel expects that the service will be popular with subscribers working in marketing, advertisement and sales, as they will be able to use the nonstandard communication channel for informing their clients about the company, its new products and services, special offers, discounts, etc.

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.