Mobile Content Russia

VimpelCom (which operates under the Beeline trademark) today announced that it has issued Russian ruble-denominated bonds through LLC VimpelCom-Invest, a consolidated Russian subsidiary of VimpelCom, in an aggregate principal amount of 10 billion Russian rubles, which is the equivalent of approximately $ 303 million at today's Central Bank of Russia exchange rate. The bonds are guaranteed by VimpelCom. The bonds are due on July 08, 2014. Interest will be paid semiannually. The annual interest rate for the first four payment periods is 15,2%. VimpelCom-Invest will determine the annual interest rate for subsequent periods based on market conditions. Bond holders will have the right to sell their bonds to VimpelCom-Invest when the annual interest rate for subsequent periods is announced at the end of the fourth payment period.

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».

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.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, has announced the commercial launch of 3G networks in two Russian cities Saratov and Engels. MTS 3G network covers all areas of the two cities and provides data transfer speed up to 3.6 Mb per second. Subscribers who want to use data transfer service in MTS 3G network in Saratov region need to have a 3G enabled handset or they have to be signed up to MTS GPRS service and have PCMCI/USB-modem.

When a subscriber buys «MTS Connect» package (which includes USB-modem and a special data plan «MTS Connect-2»), the subscriber gets 600 Mb of web traffic for free. The free traffic is given out by 100 Mb packages each month during six months since service activation.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, has launched a new location-based service dubbed «Love Compass» for users of its dating WAP-portal wap.mtsdating.ru. «Love Compass» will help MTS subscribers registered on the portal wap.mtsdating.ru search for other users by their location or find out current whereabouts of their friends.

Now users' profiles at the dating service wap.mtsdating.ru contain a link «WHERE?» that lets users search other portal users signed up to the service «Love Compass» by their location and get information on how far from himself or herself this user is at the moment. Also, users can send each other SMS, write emails or invite to the chat.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, and Nokia signed the memorandum of understanding on the direct delivery of Nokia devices to MTS' retail network. The first joint project of the two companies will be the priority sales launch of Nokia N97, Nokia's flagship mobile computer, equipped with exclusive software from MTS.

The agreement signed by MTS and Nokia at the 2009 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum provides for the direct supply of Nokia products to MTS' retail network, joint marketing campaigns to promote Nokia's handsets and a special training program for MTS' retail employees.

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.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, has launched the first phase of its 3G network in Moscow. The operator is following a strategy of covering the largest business and shopping centres with HSDPA networks.

The first indoor network was launched in Moscow's Expocentre, one of the largest exhibition centers in Eastern Europe. MTS has covered the whole Expocentre exhibition space with and HSPA network, providing customers with data download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbit/s.

MTS is planning to launch additional 3G networks in the 35 largest business and shopping centers in Moscow in 2009, including the Domodedovo International Airport. MTS will also launch indoor 3G networks in the offices of the largest corporations based in Moscow. 3G services will also become available in several cities in the Moscow region, including Noginsk and Orekhovo-Zuyevo.

MTS, the largest cellular network operator in Russia and CIS, announces that it has initiated the testing of outdoor 3G radio coverage in Moscow. The goal of the trial is to confirm the possibility and conditions of joint operation of outdoor 3G radio coverage and radio electronic means of military application. The trials are to be finished by June 2009.

Also, MTS informed that it has received expert findings from Main RF Center confirming the possibility of using base 3G stations in the buildings and houses of Moscow, as well as in the subway and Moscow region. Particularly, expert report defines the parameter the base 3G stations should have, concerning their power, height and antennas' direction. The findings will allow MTS to get permission for commercial launch of 3G network in the mentioned area and begin offering 3G services to its customers.

Mobile network operator, MTS Belarus is to launch a SIM upgrade which will continuously display a PrePay customer's balance on their mobile phone display. The service is being provided by Sicap. Real time information is enabled by connecting a Sicap over the air SIM applet to the MTS call billing server. As such, each call is immediately debited from the account balance and the updated remaining credit displayed.

MTS and Sicap says that they will also explore a number of similar SIM-based service opportunities which could include dynamic screening of preferential call rates, special offers or credit top-up alerts.