Operators & Networks

MegaFon announces plan to acquire majority stake in Mail.Ru Group

February 8, 2017

MegaFon, a leading Russian telecom group, intends acquire a majority stake in Mail.Ru Group, Russia’s main Internet group. The announcement was made today following a meeting of MegaFon’s board of directors. The acquisition plan still needs to be approved by the group’s shareholders, who will meet on Jan. 20, 2017. According to the plan, “MegaFon will acquire 11.5 …

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MegaFon in discussions to acquire stake in Mail.ru Group, but no merger considered

November 18, 2016

On Wednesday, following “press speculation,” the Russian Internet group Mail.ru Group and mobile operator MegaFon confirmed to be discussing potential commercial collaboration to “jointly develop new products and services in [Russia].” “Market dynamics and advances in technology have created favorable conditions for greater cooperation between telecom providers and digital media companies,” the companies note in …

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Rostec suggests to use pension fund to finance implementation of ‘Big Brother law’

September 6, 2016

Last week, the Industry and Trade Ministry suggested to entrust the National Informatics Center (NIC), a subsidiary of the state-owned corporation Rostec, with implementing the requirements of the new “anti-terrorist” legislation related to the storage of phone and Internet communications. Dubbed “Big Brother law,” this legislation was adopted by the Russian parliament and signed by …

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Mikhail Fridman’s LetterOne confirms $50 million investment in “disruptive” US mobile service provider

September 5, 2016

Earlier this week LetterOne (L1), an international investment group controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, announced that it had received clearance from the US authorities for a $50 million capital injection in FreedomPop. Founded in 2012 and based in Los Angeles, California, FreedomPop offers wireless data, voice and text services. Presenting itself as “one of the fastest growing and most innovative mobile …

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Sberbank to launch MVNO for mobile banking

July 11, 2016

Sberbank, Russia’s national savings bank, has founded a new subsidiary which will act as an MVNO, Vedomosti reported last week. Dubbed ‘SB-Telecom,’ the new company will provide telecom services to companies within the Sberbank group as well as to their end customers. The new company has yet to receive a license from state regulator Roskomnadzor. According to the …

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Russian parliament passes “Big Brother law,” Internet and telecom industry expects hard times

February 20, 2017

In late June, the Russian parliament approved controversial amendments to Russia’s anti-terrorist legislation. Drafted by lawmakers Irina Yarovaya and Viktor Ozerov, the new legislation may have deep consequences for people living and using digital networks in Russia. The amendments are yet to be signed by President Putin [which he did on July 7 update]. A substantial part of the …

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Pure players and mobile operators shake up Russian banking sector

June 23, 2016

Russia’s banking sector is being shaken up by new entrants armed with the latest technology, but the process is proving anything but smooth for some of these pioneers. Just months ago, as reported by East-West Digital News, Otkrytie, a major Russian bank, announced the acquisition of mobile banking startup Rocketbank. Almost simultaneously, Instabank, another mobile banking startup with a strong social …

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Megafon shuts down mobile payment platform

March 14, 2016

Megafon, a leading Russian mobile operator, has shut down its mobile payment platform ‘Megafon Money.’ This service will be replaced by Visa Qiwi Wallet — the electronic wallet offered by payment operator Qiwi in partnership with Visa — “with additional specific Megaton features,” Russian business daily Vedomosti reported yesterday. The service has been judged redundant …

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Russian Orthodox church to launch own Wi-Fi network

February 10, 2016

Orthodox believers in the capital could soon get access to a special Wi-Fi network which will block inappropriate content, Moscow Patriarchate deputy speaker Roman Bogdasarov told Izvestia on Friday. The religious network will block access to online content deemed extremist, sectarian or pornographic, the report said. “Distorted historical facts,” would also be unavailable, the report said. …

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Moscow subway’s wireless network honored as “Best Wi-Fi Deployment in a City or Public Area”

February 12, 2016

Earlier this month in San Jose, California, Maxima Telecom’s WiFi network in the Moscow subway was honored at the WBA Wi-Fi Industry Awards as the “Best Wi-Fi Deployment in a City or Public Area.” Task complexity and scale, the approach to monetization, service quality, and market impact were among the jury’s key criteria. Open to the whole industry, …

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US wins case to seize $300 million in alleged bribes by Russian telcos

February 17, 2016

The U.S. Justice Department has won the right to impound $300 million that it claims was paid in bribes by two major Russian telecoms firms to a close relative of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, news agency Bloomberg reported Friday. Justice Department officials claim that leading Russian mobile phone operator MTS and fellow telecoms giant VimpelCom …

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