Moscow, Russian Federation - Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ( MTS or the Company - NYSE: MBT), the leading telecommunications provider in Russia and the CIS, in partnership with Sistema Mass Media ( SMM ), one of the largest media holdings in Russia, majority-owned by Sistema JSFC (LSE: SSA), the largest publicly-traded diversified holding company in Russia and the CIS and the parent company of MTS, announces the launch of satellite TV services under the MTS brand throughout Russia.MTS will offer satellite TV subscribers 160 TV channels (including 30 high-definition (HD) channels) available in six languages and access to a variety of value-added services, including delayed viewing, pausing, video-on-demand, an interactive TV-guide, weather forecasts, maps, currency rates information using MTS SIM card integrated in a set-top-box.
MTS satellite TV will be broadcast using ABS-2 satellite throughout 95% of the territory of Russia in the DV2-S2 standard.
Under the partnership agreement, SMM provides licenses for satellite TV broadcasting and ensures leasing of satellite channels while MTS manages the project, works with the content owners, oversees construction of the infrastructure on the ground, marketing, billing and customer service.
Mr. Vasyl Latsanych, MTS Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, commented, One of the three pillars of our 3D strategy Differentiation reflects our mission to offer our customers unique products and services to enhance their digital lives. In line with our strategy to leverage our mobile, fixed and retail networks to expand into complimentary lines of business, MTS is entering the satellite TV market and will focus on developing satellite TV offerings in the areas where digital cable TV is not available. We believe that MTS is uniquely positioned to succeed in this market through the strength of our brand, the quality and diversity of our content portfolio, our unrivalled retail network of 4,100 stores spread out across Russia, and the expertise of our management team in cable and mobile TV services.
Mr. Vitaly Studitskikh, MTS Director for Satellite TV and CEO of TSTV LLC, SMM's subsidiary, said, Subscribers of pay TV services are increasingly looking for quality products that go well beyond traditional linear TV. Under the MTS brand, we are offering high-tech 3G/WiFi-enabled set-top-boxes, giving customers control over their content consumption. MTS customers will be able to choose their channels a la carte' and have access to catch-up and video on-demand services. For the first time in the Russian market, consumers will be able to enjoy a truly personalized TV experience.
MTS satellite TV subscribers will be able to top up their account in 500,000 points of sales and kiosks across Russia, through Internet or mobile applications and have access to 24/7 customer service. MTS subscribers using both mobile and satellite TV offerings will receive 20 percent of their monthly bill back (applied to their mobile account) and will be able to enroll in MTS Bonus, the MTS loyalty program.
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For further information, please contact in Moscow:
Joshua B. Tulgan
Director, Department of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations
Mobile TeleSystems OJSC
Tel: +7 495 223 2025
E-mail: ir@mts.ru
Learn more about MTS. Visit the official blog of the Investor Relations Department at www.mtsgsm.com/blog/
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Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia, entral and Eastern Europe, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband and pay TV in one of the worlds fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers. The Group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkmenistan and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 200 million. Since June 2000, MTS Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at www.mtsgsm.com.
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Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of MTS, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as expect, believe, anticipate, estimate, intend, will, could, may or might, and the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not undertake or intend to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. We refer you to the documents MTS files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the Company's most recent Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned Risk Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the severity and duration of current economic and financial conditions, including volatility in interest and exchange rates, commodity and equity prices and the value of financial assets; the impact of Russian, U.S. and other foreign government programs to restore liquidity and stimulate national and global economies, our ability to maintain our current credit rating and the impact on our funding costs and competitive position if we do not do so, strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions and our success in integrating acquired businesses, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, our co
