ENTERING ARMENIAN TELECOMMUNICATION MARKET RUSSIAN VIMPELCOM INTENDS TO IMPROVE SUBSCRIBER NET

Moscow, June 23. ArmInfo. Entering the Armenian telecommunication
market, the Russian Vimpelcom (trade mark "Beeline") intends to
improve the quality of subscriber net, Vimpelcom Vice President for
International Investment Relations Valery Goldin told ArmInfo.

To note, yesterday OTE Greek Company announced 4 companies-participants
of the tender for 90 pct stake in ArmenTel. The first in the list
of applicant- companies is Russian Vimpelcom. Vice President of the
company did not explain if the ranking in the list testifies to the
success of an applicant. He proposed waiting for final results of
the current final stage. V. Goldin did not reveal the bid offered
by Vimpelcom before the final results either. He said in case of
winning the tender, Vimpelcom intends to invest in improvement of the
subscriber net and communication level to bring them to the Russian
quality standard. He said the investments will help improving the
technical net, extending the service zone, developing the distribution
net and the payment system. As regards possible difficulties of OTE in
the work in the Armenian market, V. Goldin said the specifics of the
work in the post-Soviet area is identical and the company got enough
experience in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. "It
seems to us there will not be any big problems in the Armenian market,"
he said with optimism.