DJ VimpelCom to offer converged services in Armenia

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
November 3, 2006 Friday 7:25 PM EET

OAO Vimpel Communications said Friday it will offer converged
fixed-to-mobile services in Armenia, where it just bought 90% of
Armentel, a company that provides both fixed and mobile services.

VimpelCom hasn’t offered converged services before.

"Armentel is too attractive of an asset; we couldn’t afford not
to buy it (even though it provides fixed-line services as well),"
VimpelCom spokeswoman Ekaterina Osadchaya said.

She said VimpelCom is "definitely not going to sell the fixed-line
business."

VimpelCom said Friday it bought 90% of Armentel from Greece’s Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization, or OTE, for 341.9 million euro in
cash and 40 million euro in debt.