Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Euroset Sacrifices Beeline For MTS

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Euroset Sacrifices Beeline For MTS

    EUROSET SACRIFICES BEELINE FOR MTS

    CNews, Russia
    September 10, 2007, Mon 12:46 AM Moscow

    Euroset St. Petersburg outlets experienced decline in Beeline
    subscriptions while MTS SIM-card sale grew in August. Euroset has
    acknowledged concluding a contract with MTS. St. Petersburg cellular
    retailers state cellular subscription fell by 10% in August as compared
    to July, which might be accounted for usual summer vacations.

    Euroset St. Petersburg outlets experienced decline in Beeline
    subscriptions while MTS SIM-card sale grew in August. Euroset has
    acknowledged concluding a contract with MTS. St. Petersburg cellular
    retailers state cellular subscription fell by 10% in August as compared
    to July, which might be accounted for usual summer vacations.

    CNews got the August 6 largest St. Petersburg retailers subscription
    data. The total number of contracts sold amounted to 186 thousand,
    which is a 19 thousand decrease, as compared to July.

    Beeline and Tele2 experienced the largest decrease in subscription as
    compared to July (minus 12 and 7 thousands, relatively), Beeline main
    sales decrease falling to two networks, i.e. Ultra and Euroset. At the
    same time, the retailers claim MTS subscription to increase. According
    to CNews, Euroset increased MTS contracts sale by 3.5 thousand,
    while Ultra by 200.

    MegaFon demonstrated the largest fall in the mentioned networks by
    2 thousand.

    CNews source in one of the cellular operators tells Euroset and Ultra
    has concluded contracts with MTS, "that is why the mentioned above
    companies are promoting only MTS at present at the expense of other
    operators". "We have certain mutual obligations with MTS, while in
    July they were renewed, - Euroset explains to CNews. - The growth is
    connected with the mentioned factor". Valery Shishkin, Director of
    Ultra Digital Technology Center notes MTS subscription increase is
    connected with the company's active marketing policy.

    Euroset St. Petersburg outlets increased MTS SIM-cards sail, while
    Beeline subscription reduced

    It should be noted the subscription decrease affected all the cellular
    retail market participants in August.

    The highest decrease was experienced by Euroset and Ultra. "The
    subscription reduction amounted to 5%, - Mr. Shishkin says. - That
    corresponds to our forecasts, as we did not expect the subscription
    increase in July". At the same time Euroset possessing the highest
    number of outlets in St. Petersburg is the leader by the number of
    contracts amounting to 61 thousand which is by 4.5 thousand lower
    than in July.

    Then Svyaznoy follows with 46 thousand contracts (minus 2 thousand),
    Ultra with 33 thousand (minus 7 thousand). Teleforum concluded 32
    thousand subscription contracts (minus 4 thousand). Cifrograd and
    Betalink had correspondingly 17 thousand (minus 500) and 16 thousand
    (minus 1.5 thousand) subscriptions.

    Teleforum tells "in August the total sales bulk in the company's
    outlets was approximately equally distributed between the tree
    operators, i.e. Beeline, MTS and Tele2. "At the same time Tele2
    SIM-cards were sold mainly because of unbiased demand", - our
    correspondent notes. - In general our sale expectations were not
    approved, though the main tasks having been successfully fulfilled
    by retail outlets".

    Analysts and market participants account the subscription market
    reduction for vacations, being highest in August. According to the
    Analyst Denis Kuskov the situation with subscription reduction in
    August repeats every year, but in Autumn it usually improves. "The
    number of subscriptions to be made by the New Year is to be roughly
    the same as in all previous months, - Mr. Kuskov says. - But then the
    number of subscribers in St. Petersburg is to reduce, subscriptions
    are to fall, so the operators will start struggling to retain the
    existing subscribers".

    MegaFon North-West Subsidiary confirms CNews data regarding the
    insignificant reduction of new subscriptions in August as compared to
    July. "That is sure to be connected with the seasonal activity slow
    down, repeating from year to year, - the operator's Press Service
    confirms. - Besides, according to statistics, July is occupying the
    second place by the rate of subscription after December, while August
    is similar to January. In present August, according to roaming data,
    subscribers were sure to go on holidays".

    "We expect subscriptions to grow up in September, as September is
    traditionally the most intensive month as compared to August", -
    VimpelCom North-West representation office Press Service says.

    Euroset is the largest mobile handset retailer in Russia and one of the
    Russia's leading dealers for major mobile network operators. The main
    business activity of the Euroset Group is the retail sale of mobile
    handsets, digital cameras, CD, MP3 players and DECT-phones, mobile
    handset accessories and subscription to mobile network operators. In
    the first half of 2005, the Group estimated its share of the mobile
    handset retail market in Russia to be 23%. As of 31 October 2005
    Euroset has outlets in 626 Russian cities, as well as in 25 cities in
    Kazakhstan, 19 cities in Ukraine and one city in Belarus. Euroset's
    nest goal is to further develop its business in the Commonwealth of
    Independent States and the Baltic States.

    ----------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------

    VimpelCom Group includes cellular companies operating in Russia,
    Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and recently acquired
    companies in Georgia and Armenia. The Company operates under the
    'Beeline' brand. The VimpelCom Group's license portfolio covers
    approximately 240 million people. Geographically it covers 78 regions
    of Russia with 136.5 million people, representing 94% of Russia's
    population as well as the entire territories of Kazakhstan, Ukraine,
    Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia. The company's net income
    and revenue for Q3 2006 was $268,4mln and $1,358mln respectively.

    MTS (Mobile TeleSystems) is the largest mobile phone operator in
    Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company
    services over 72.86 million subscribers. The regions of Russia,
    Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, in which MTS and its
    associates and subsidiaries are licensed to provide GSM services, have
    a total population of more than 230 million. MTS completed its IPO and
    listed its Level III ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange in July 2000,
    under the symbol MBT. The Company's shares have been listed locally on
    MICEX since November 2003, under the symbol MTSI. The Company's GDRs
    are also traded in Europe. The free float of the Company's shares
    is approximately 46.7%. MTS is 52.8% majority-owned by Sistema,
    the largest private sector consumer services company in Russia and
    the CIS. The company's consolidated revenues in the first quarter of
    2007 reached $1,741mln.
Working...
X