Russian mobile operator VimpelCom (VIP) is buying Golden Telecom (GLDN) for $4.3 billion, the company announced this morning. Vimpel will pay $105 a share in cash for Golden’s outstanding shares. VimpelCom can now provide voice and data in addition to mobile services to its customers.
Would be great to hear more about the exciting things happening in the former Soviet republics. It is sometimes hard to find tech and telecom news out of places like Russia and Kazakhstan.
Thanks for the posting.
“…. VimpelCom can now provide voice and data in addition to mobile services to its customers.”
That would certainly be welcomed by those of us here in Krsnodar, Russia who still must choose between internet data plans that either offer unlimited bandwidth at snail-like speeds (256K) or high speeds but at a cost of $50 per Gig. Yup, that’s not a typo. 1.2 rubles (5 cents) per MB.
While large cities, like Moscow and St. Pete, have high-speed unlimited bandwidth plans, the regional cities, like Krasnodar and even Sochi (the home of the 2014 Winter Olympics), are still back in the 1990’s infrastructure-wise.
Let’s hope that VimpelCom, whose cellular brand, Beeline, is both cutting edge and consumer friendly, can bring change to the internet marketplace. (www.vimpelcom.com)