Mobile TeleSystems

Infobox Company
company_name = Mobile TeleSystems
company_
company_type = Public (nyse|MBT)
foundation = October 1993
location = flagicon|Russia Moscow, Russia
key_people = Mikhail Shamolin, President and CEO
Vsevolod Rozanov, CFO
industry = Mobile telecommunications
products = Mobile networks
revenue = profit $8.2 billion USD (2007)
net_income = profit $2.0 billion USD (2007)
parent = JSFC Sistema
homepage = [http://www.mtsgsm.com www.mtsgsm.com]

Mobile TeleSystems or MTS (RTS|MTSS MICEX|MTSI) is the largest mobile operator in Russia and CIS with over 89.64 million subscribers as of April 30, 2008.Cite web|url=http://www.mtsgsm.com/news/ir/2008-05-16-26781/|title=MTS Website - Company profile|accessdate=2007-08-08]

The MTS wireless network operates using the GSM standard. It currently holds licences to provide mobile services in 87 out of 89 regions in Russia and the entire territories of Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.Cite web|url=http://www1.company.mtsgsm.com/license/|title=MTS Website - Licenses|accessdate = 2006-10-29] Cite web|url=http://www1.company.mts.ru/press-centre/briefly/|title=MTS Website - Short summary (In Russian)|accessdate = 2006-10-29] MTS is currently the biggest mobile operator in Central and Eastern Europe.Cite web|url=http://www1.company.mts.ru/history/|title=MTS Website - Company History (In Russian)|accessdate = 2006-10-29]

MTS was founded by Moscow City Telephone Network (Russian: Моско́вская Городска́я Телефо́нная Сеть - "Moskovskaya Gorodskaya Telefonnaya Set"'), Deutsсhe Telekom, Siemens AG and still several shareholders as the closed joint-stock company in October, 1993. Four Russian companies owned 53% of the stock, whereas two German companies had 47%. At the end of 1996 JSFC Sistema (Russian: АФК "Систе́ма" - "AFK Sistema") has got a stock pack from the Russian holders of stocks, and DeTeMobil has redeemed stocks of company Siemens.Fact|date=February 2007

On March 1, 2000, as a result of a merger of JSC "MTS" and JSC "RTK", OJSC «Mobile TeleSystems» (Russian: Моби́льные Те́леСисте́мы - "Mobil'niye Telesistemy") was formed. In April, 28, 2000 the Federal commission under securities of the Russian Federation has registered initial stocks issue of OJSC "MTS".Fact|date=February 2007

On June 30 2000 stocks of MTS started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (Index MBT).Fact|date=February 2007

Having started in the Moscow license zone in 1994, МТS in 1997 has received licenses and began to develop actively.Fact|date=February 2007

In June, 2002 MTS started a network in Belarus.Fact|date=February 2007

In August, 2003 MTS finished purchasing UMC, the leader of the market of mobile communication in the Ukraine.Fact|date=February 2007 Brand UMC existed till mid 2007, when major rebranding campaign occurred turning UMC into MTS.

In May, 2006 MTS changed its logo as a part of rebranding campaign performed by its mother company, JSFC Sistema. Now it has two red squares next to each other. The left one, common to all JSFC Sistema's telecom subsidiaries, contains a white egg which symbolizes simplicity and genius, while the right square bears the name of the company: МТС (MTS).Fact|date=February 2007

External links

* [http://www.mtsgsm.com/ MTS Web Site (English)]
* [http://www.mts.ru/ MTS Web Site (Russian)]
* [http://finance.google.com/finance?q=Mobile+TeleSystems&btnG=Search&hl=en Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (ADR) - Google Finance]

References