NO NEED TO COMMENT OF RUMORS ABOUT SALE OF VIVACELL ARMENIAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 30 2007
YEREVAN, August 30. /ARKA/. No need to comment of rumors about sale
of Vivacell Armenian telecommunication company, Armenian Minister
of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukian told a briefing
Thursday. "I have got no documents on the possible deal," he said.
Vivacell does not comment on the possible purchase of the company by
Russian MTS either.
Earlier, "Vedomosti" Russian newspaper reported that MTS purchased
the Armenian mobile communication operator Vivacell. The Press
Secretary of MTS told "Vedomosti" that the company is interested in
the Armenian market.
The President of AFK "Sistema" and the owner of MTS Alexander
Goncharuk reported that currently negotiations are held on purchase
of the Armenian company, but it is not clear yet "when the deal can
be closed".
According to the analysts of "Aton" Russian investment group the value
of the transaction will total $480mln. According to "Renaissance
Capital", the purchase may cost $400-500mln, whereas the analysts
of "Troyka Dialogue" believe the cost to reach $500-600mln as "the
Armenian market ahs room for growth and the company should be sold
at a premium".
It is the second attempt of MNTS to get to the Armenian market. In
2006 when Hellenic Communications Organization put on sale 90% of
ArmenTel’s shares, MTS participated in the bid, but was left behind
by Vimpelcom who suggested EUR 382mln ($488.1mln).
"K-Telecom" company (Vivacell trademark) has been on the Armenian
mobile market since July 1 2005. Currently it has 1mln subscribers.
The principle owner of the company is Lebanese Fattouch Group
investment structure owned by Pierre Fattouch. Today the company holds
67% of the mobile market and covers 98.5% of the country’s territory.
About 33% of the mobile communication market falls at share of the
second mobile communication operator – ArmenTel. 100% of the company’s
shares are owned by Russian Vimpelkom (Bee Line trademark).
By the end of 2006, the company had 608,500 users of stationary
communication and 452,000 mobile subscribers. Under the decision of
the Public Services Regulating Commission of Armenia ArmenTel was
deprived of all the monopoly rights Friday.