Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
March 18, 2004

OSS-Zvezda fails to get license for mobile services in Armenia

MOSCOW, Mar 18 (Prime-Tass) — Russian-Armenian telecommunications
joint venture OSS-Zvezda failed to receive a license from Armenia’s
Transport and Communications Ministry to provide GSM 1800 mobile
services in Armenia, the company’s information service told
Prime-Tass Thursday.

The ministry refused to provide the license to the company, saying
that another company, the Armenian Telephone Company is currently
licensed to provide mobile services in the country.

In spite of the ministry’s rejection, OSS-Zvezda plans to bid for a
license as well as to open its affiliates in the country acting under
local legislation.

The company’s total investments into its Armenian project are
estimated at 60 million euros.

The company also plans to build a mobile network to cover the
Caucasus Region, including Georgia, under the brand name Kavkazskaya
Zvezda (Caucasian Star). End