Mobile Telesystems

MOSCOW—Cdma2000 technology based on the International Mobile Telecommunications-Multi Carrier (IMT-MC) standard has made the first step toward acquiring federal status in Russia. In March, the Communications Ministry approved “general technical …

MOSCOW—The biggest Russian carrier, Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), placed US$50 million of euro bonds. The MFD-InfoCenter reported that the bonds will mature on 21 December, 2004, and the coupon yield is …

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—Swedish company Tele 2 denied plans to sell the St. Petersburg-based FORA Communications AMPS carrier, which combines operators St. Petersburg Telecom and Oblcom. “We are not going to …

MOSCOW—The biggest Russian carrier Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is likely to pay more than US$85 million for a blocking interest in the fourth-biggest regional carrier Kuban GSM in the Krasnodar territory …

MOSCOW—The Sonic Duo carrier, which is the Moscow stronghold of the pan-Russian Megafon project, received a US$138 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Bank for Reconstruction …

MOSCOW—Siemens has reportedly won the tender for equipment supplies for the construction of the second GSM 900/1800 MHz network in Belarus, which is to be operated by the leading Russian …

MINSK, Belarus—The Saudi Oger carrier is considering the purchase of a 50-percent stake in the Belarussian Belcel carrier, with a deal likely to shape out by the end of February. …

MOSCOW—The biggest Russian carrier Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) officially confirmed it has reached an agreement on the purchase of a controlling stake in the fourth-biggest regional carrier Kuban GSM in the …

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—The development of the pan-Russian Megafon project of St. Petersburg-based Telecominvest holding has prompted a series of acquisitions, as the initially “virtual” project reported 1 million clients in …

MOSCOW—The second-biggest Russian carrier Vimpelcom (BeeLine) is reportedly negotiating a US$250 million credit with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance regional expansion. The carrier initially said …

SAMARA, Russia—The fifth-biggest Russian carrier, SMARTS on the Volga, chose the Evolium solution of French vendor Alcatel to develop its GSM 900/1800 MHz networks. The carrier, with close to 300,000 …

MOSCOW—A shareholder of the fourth-biggest Russian carrier Kuban GSM in the Krasnodar region in the south of the country has decided to sell its interest in the operator, and top …

MOSCOW—Despite a recent Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) test by one of Russia’s largest operators, Russian Communications Minister Leonid Reiman refused to disclose the timeline for issuing the first third-generation …

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—The third-biggest Russian carrier, St. Petersburg-based North-Western GSM, launched a GSM 900/1800 MHz network in the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan in the last days of 2001. The …

MOSCOW—Russian carrier Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) placed its first euro bonds worth US$250 million as it needs additional funds for regional expansion. MTS spokeswoman Eva Prokofyeva said the funds will be …

MOSCOW—The biggest Russian carrier Mobile Telesystems (MTS) has reportedly reached a deal to buy a controlling interest in the fourth-biggest regional carrier, Kuban GSM, in the southern Krasnodar region with …

MOSCOW—Two major Russian carriers, Mobile Telesystems (MTS) and Vimpelcom (BeeLine) said they plan to place their first Euro bonds, and market experts commented the foreign borrowings are necessary for regional …

MOSCOW—The Russian military are to abandon the 900 MHz band in the coming two years, and the government said the process will be financed by mobile carriers, which will get …

MINSK, Belarus—Russian carrier Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) won the tender for the second GSM license in neighboring Belarus. Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, who personally followed tender developments, announced the news. Lukashenko …

MOSCOW—Sonic Duo, which has the third GSM license in Moscow, finally launched a test operation of its network in the Russian capital. After several delays caused by the absence of …

MINSK, Belarus—The Belarussian Communications ministry has determined the winner of the second GSM license tender, but delayed the official announcement for several days until the end of the presidential election …

MOSCOW—The Rostelecom Company plans to sell its 23.5-percent stake in Moscow Cellular Communications (MCC) due to the financial losses the operator has incurred, announced Rostelecom Director General Sergei Kuznetsov. However, …

MOSCOW—Major Russian Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) carrier said it had completed a deal to buy an 81-percent stake in the Telecom 900 Company, which has a controlling interest in three regional …

MINSK, Belarus—Russian carriers for the first time participated in a foreign wireless communications tender and three of them qualified for the final stage of the auction for the second GSM …

MOSCOW—Sonic Duo, which has the third GSM license in Moscow, received the first frequencies shared by its major competitor Mobile TeleSystems (MTS). The news was followed by a change of …